%0 Journal Article
%T Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Hyptis albida Chloroform Extract on Lipopolysaccharide-Stimulated Peritoneal Macrophages
%A Elizabeth S¨¢nchez Miranda
%A Julia P¨¦rez Ramos
%A Cristina Fres¨¢n Orozco
%A Miguel Angel Zavala S¨¢nchez
%A Salud P¨¦rez Guti¨¦rrez
%J ISRN Pharmacology
%D 2013
%R 10.1155/2013/713060
%X We examined the effects of a chloroform extract of Hyptis albida (CHA) on inflammatory responses in mouse lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced peritoneal macrophages. Our findings indicate that CHA inhibits LPS-induced production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF-¦Á) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). During the process, levels of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and nitric oxide (NO) increased in the mouse peritoneal macrophages; however, the extract suppressed them significantly. These results provide novel insights into the anti-inflammatory actions of CHA and support its potential use in the treatment of inflammatory diseases. 1. Introduction Inflammation is an immediate response to many injuries produced by pathogens, noxious stimuli such as chemicals, or physical injury. Inflammation involves the activation and recruitment of phagocytes (macrophages, neutrophils), NK cells, the complement system, and the secretion of cytokines such as IL-1¦Â, IL-6, and TNF-¦Á by activated cells that are essential for the host defense system. Inflammatory disorders are treated using conventional anti-inflammatory drugs such as steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) [1]. However, their prolonged use may produce adverse effects [2]. Thus, it is important to develop new anti-inflammatory agents with fewer adverse effects. Natural products can be a source of active metabolites that can serve as an alternate approach to anti-inflammatory drugs [3]. The genus Hyptis consists of approximately 400 species distributed from Southern United States to Argentina [4]. Plants in this genus have great economical and ethnopharmacological importance [5]. They have been used in folk medicine for the treatment of various disorders such as gastrointestinal disorders, skin infections, nasal congestion, fever, cramps, inflammation, and pain [5¨C8]. The genus Hyptis has many species that are important in Mexican folk medicine. In particular, Hyptis albida is commonly used in remedies for the treatment of gastrointestinal disturbances, skin infections, rheumatism, cramps, and muscular pains [9, 10]. Three triterpene lactones and five flavonoids have been isolated from an acetone extract [11] and the anti-inflammatory activity of a chloroform extract was reported by P¨¦rez et al. [12]. The present investigation was carried out to assess the anti-inflammatory activity of a chloroform extract using murine macrophages stimulated with LPS. 2. Materials and Methods 2.1. Plant Material Aerial parts of H. albida were collected in Guadalcazar, San Luis
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/isrn.pharmacology/2013/713060/