Anti-Neuroinflammatory effects of the extract of Achillea fragrantissima

BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Research Article

Rivka Ofir¹  Anat Elmann²  Hilla Erlank²  Miriam Rindner²  Sharon Mordechay²  Alona Telerman² 

[1]Dead Sea & Arava Science Center and Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 84105, Beer-Sheva, Israel

[2]Department of Food Quality and Safety, Volcani Center, Agricultural Research Organization, 50250, Bet Dagan, Israel

关键词: Achillea fragrantissima;    microglial cells;    neuroinflammation;    nitric oxide;    matrix metalloproteinase-9;    cyclooxygenase-2;   

DOI  :  10.1186/1472-6882-11-98

 received in 2011-05-24, accepted in 2011-10-21,  发布年份 2011

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundThe neuroinflammatory process plays a central role in the initiation and progression of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, and involves the activation of brain microglial cells. During the neuroinflammatory process, microglial cells release proinflammatory mediators such as cytokines, matrix metalloproteinases (MMP), Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO). In the present study, extracts from 66 different desert plants were tested for their effect on lipopolysaccharide (LPS) - induced production of NO by primary microglial cells. The extract of Achillea fragrantissima (Af) , which is a desert plant that has been used for many years in traditional medicine for the treatment of various diseases, was the most efficient extract, and was further studied for additional anti-neuroinflammatory effects in these cells.MethodsIn the present study, the ethanolic extract prepared from Af was tested for its anti-inflammatory effects on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated primary cultures of brain microglial cells. The levels of the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) secreted by the cells were determined by reverse transcriptase-PCR and Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. NO levels secreted by the activate cells were measured using Griess reagent, ROS levels were measured by 2'7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCF-DA), MMP-9 activity was measured using gel zymography, and the protein levels of the proinflammatory enzymes cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and induced nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) were measured by Western blot analysis. Cell viability was assessed using Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity in the media conditioned by the cells or by the crystal violet cell staining.ResultsWe have found that out of the 66 desert plants tested, the extract of Af was the most efficient extract and inhibited ~70% of the NO produced by the LPS-activated microglial cells, without affecting cell viability. In addition, this extract inhibited the LPS - elicited expression of the proinflammatory mediators IL-1β, TNFα, MMP-9, COX-2 and iNOS in these cells.ConclusionsThus, phytochemicals present in the Af extract could be beneficial in preventing/treating neurodegenerative diseases in which neuroinflammation is part of the pathophysiology.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Elmann et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2011