Anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects of active ingredients in the essential oils from Gynura procumbens, a traditional medicine and a new and popular food material

  • J Ethnopharmacol. 2019 Jul 15;239:111916. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2019.111916.
Xia-Ling Huang  1 ,  Xiao-Jun Li  2 ,  Qiu-Fang Qin  3 ,  Yu-Sang Li  4 ,  Wei Kevin Zhang  5 ,  He-Bin Tang  6
Affiliations
  • 1. Lab of Hepatopharmacology and Ethnopharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, South-Central University for Nationalities, No. 182, Minyuan Road, Wuhan 430074, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 2. Lab of Hepatopharmacology and Ethnopharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, South-Central University for Nationalities, No. 182, Minyuan Road, Wuhan 430074, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 3. Lab of Hepatopharmacology and Ethnopharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, South-Central University for Nationalities, No. 182, Minyuan Road, Wuhan 430074, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 4. Lab of Hepatopharmacology and Ethnopharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, South-Central University for Nationalities, No. 182, Minyuan Road, Wuhan 430074, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 5. Lab of Hepatopharmacology and Ethnopharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, South-Central University for Nationalities, No. 182, Minyuan Road, Wuhan 430074, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 6. Lab of Hepatopharmacology and Ethnopharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, South-Central University for Nationalities, No. 182, Minyuan Road, Wuhan 430074, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
PMID: 31034956 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2019.111916
Abstract

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Gynura procumbens is applied topically for the treatment of traumatic injuries in South China.

Materials and methods: This study was conducted to identify the active ingredients in the essential oils from Gynura procumbens (GPEO) by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS) and to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects in vivo and in vitro.

Results: A reduction in dswelling and pain were observed in mice treated with GPEO or its active ingredients (α-pinene, 3-carene, and limonene) compared with mice treated with a solvent control. GPEO or its three active ingredients had potent pharmacological effects on COX-2 overexpression and LPS-induced migration of Raw264.7 macrophages. All three ingredients inhibited nociceptive stimulus-induced inflammatory infiltrates and COX-2 overexpression, which could be responsible for the anti-inflammatory effect of GPEO. However, only 3-carene produced an antinociceptive effect.

Conclusion: Consistent with the traditional usage in Southern China, GPEO may serve as a promising potent external therapeutic agent for the treatment of chronic pain.

Keywords
Analgesic; Anti-Inflammatory; Cyclooxygenase-2; Essential oils; Gynura procumbens; Traditional medicine.
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