Artigo Acesso aberto Produção Nacional Revisado por pares

Anti-inflammatory effects of carvacrol: Evidence for a key role of interleukin-10

2012; Elsevier BV; Volume: 699; Issue: 1-3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.ejphar.2012.11.040

ISSN

1879-0712

Autores

Milena da Silva Lima, Lucindo José Quintans‐Júnior, Wagno Alcântara de Santana, Carla Martins Kaneto, Milena Botelho Pereira Soares, Cristiane Flora Villarreal,

Tópico(s)

Essential Oils and Antimicrobial Activity

Resumo

Carvacrol, a phenolic monoterpene, has been reported to possess anti-inflammatory properties. However, the mechanisms involved in its pharmacological properties are currently not well understood. In the present study, the contribution of cytokine modulation to the anti-inflammatory effects of carvacrol was investigated in a classical inflammation model: the complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced paw inflammation in mice. The paw edema was measured using a plesthismometer. Paw tissue was removed 2 h after the inflammatory stimulus to determine the levels of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) by enzyme immunoassay, the levels of interleukin-1 β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-10 (IL-10) by ELISA or the mRNA expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-10 by real-time PCR. Administration of carvacrol produced anti-inflammatory effects against CFA-induced inflammation in mice. Treatment of mice with carvacrol at 50 and 100 mg/kg attenuated the paw edema and reduced the IL-1β and PGE2, but not TNF-α, local levels. Similarly, carvacrol (100 mg/kg) reduced the COX-2 and IL-1β mRNA expression. The levels of IL-10, an anti-inflammatory cytokine, and the IL-10 mRNA expression in the inflamed paw were enhanced by carvacrol. In addition, the treatment with carvacrol did not reduce the CFA-induced paw edema in IL-10 knockout mice. The present results suggest that carvacrol causes anti-inflammatory effects by reducing the production of inflammatory mediators, such as IL-1β and prostanoids, possibly through the induction of IL-10 release.

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