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DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1234472
Inhibition of LPS-induced nuclear factor NF-kB activation by Cymbopogon citratus leaves in macrophages: a strategy to develop new anti-inflammatory drugs
Inflammation is the cause of a large number of diseases like cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, diabesity, psoriasis, multiple sclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. Actually, the lack of responsiveness to the current anti-inflammatory drugs, their side effects, delivery problems and cost of manufacture, reinforced the development of new and safe anti-inflammatory agents. The nuclear factor (NF)-kB transcriptional system regulates the expression of many genes involved in inflammatory response [1]. Therefore, inhibition of NF-kB activation is now widely recognized as a valid strategy to combat diseases with a strong inflammatory component.
Natural occurring products have been providing an important source of many pharmaceutical drugs currently available. Previously, significant antioxidant properties were verified for a lipid- and essential oil-free infusion from Cymbopogon citratus (Gramineae) leaves [2]. In this study was analyzed the inhibitory potential of that extract on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced NF-kB activation in a murine macrophage cell line, Raw264.7.
Our results demonstrated, by western blot analysis using specific antibodies, that C. citratus extract inhibited LPS-mediated IkB kinase (Ikk) phosphorylation, inhibitory kB (IkB) degradation and consequently prevented p65 protein translocation into the nucleus.
The present data support both the use of C. citratus as source of new anti-inflammatory drugs as well as its traditional use for inflammation treatment.
Acknowledgements: FCT and POCTI/FEDER for financial support. Research supported by a FCT PhD fellowship (SFRH/BD/46281/2008)
References: [1] Cruz, M.T. et al. (2001) Nitric Oxide 5:53–61.
[2] Figueirinha, A. et al. (2008) Food Chem. 110:718–728.