Inhibitory effect of the coffee diterpene kahweol on carrageenan-induced inflammation in rats
Abstract
Previous studies reported that kahweol, a coffee-specific diterpene, inhibits cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in cultured lipopolysaccharide-activated macrophages. The aim of this study was to confirm the anti-inflammatory effects of kahweol by examining its effect on the inflammatory response induced by carrageenan in a rat using an acute air pouch inflammation model. Kahweol significantly reduced the levels of the inflammatory process markers in the air pouch, such as the volume of exudates, the amount of protein and the number of leukocytes and neutrophils. The levels of nitrite, TNF-alpha and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) were also markedly lower in the air pouch of the kahweol-treated animals than in the controls. Immunoblot analysis showed that kahweol reduced the COX-2 and iNOS expression level in the exudate cells. The histological examination showed that there was a lower inflammatory response in the pouch tissues from the kahweol-treated animals. In addition, kahweol significantly reduced the paw edema induced by carrageenan and also markedly reduced the level of PGE2 production in the inflamed paw. These results suggest that kahweol has significant anti-inflammatory effects in...Continue Reading
References
Suppression of adjuvant-induced arthritis by selective inhibition of inducible nitric oxide synthase
Validity of animal models for the cholesterol-raising effects of coffee diterpenes in human subjects
Induction of inducible nitric oxide synthase expression by 18beta-glycyrrhetinic acid in macrophages
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A drug or substance that reduces inflammation (redness, swelling, and pain) in the body. Anti-inflammatory agents block certain substances in the body that cause inflammation and swelling. Discover the latest research on anti-inflammatory treatments here