In-vivo and in-vitro anti-inflammatory effect of Echinacea purpurea and Hypericum perforatum

J Pharm Pharmacol. 2002 Oct;54(10):1379-83. doi: 10.1211/002235702760345464.

Abstract

Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench and Hypericum perforatum (L.) were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory activity against carrageenan-induced paw oedema in mice. Each drug was administered orally to mice at 30 and 100 mg kg(-1), twice daily. Only the higher dose significantly inhibited, time dependently, the formation of oedema, evaluated as area under the curve (echinacea P < 0.01; hypericum P < 0.05). Western blot analysis showed that in-vivo treatment with these extracts could modulate lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and interferon-gamma induced cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in peritoneal macrophages. In particular, treatment with 100 mg kg(-1) hypericum inhibited both iNOS and COX-2 expression, whereas treatment with 100 mg kg(-1) echinacea down-regulated only COX-2 expression. The present study suggests that the anti-inflammatory effect of these extracts could be in part related to their modulation of COX-2 expression.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / isolation & purification
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / pharmacology*
  • Blotting, Western
  • Carrageenan
  • Cyclooxygenase 2
  • Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors
  • Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Echinacea / chemistry*
  • Edema / chemically induced
  • Edema / prevention & control
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Hypericum / chemistry*
  • Indomethacin / pharmacology
  • Isoenzymes / biosynthesis
  • Isoenzymes / metabolism
  • Macrophages, Peritoneal / drug effects
  • Macrophages, Peritoneal / enzymology
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology
  • Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / biosynthesis
  • Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / metabolism

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal
  • Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors
  • Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Isoenzymes
  • Plant Extracts
  • Carrageenan
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II
  • Nos2 protein, mouse
  • Cyclooxygenase 2
  • Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases
  • Indomethacin