Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Chamaecyparis Obtusa Essential Oil on Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells

Abstract

Background and Objectives The biological activity in antibacterial and antioxidative action of essential oils (EOs) have been investigated. In this study, we tried to evaluate the effects of Chamaecyparis obtusa EOs on producing chemical mediators by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Subjects and Method PBMCs from healthy volunteers were stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) in the presence of varying concentrations of EOs. Cytotoxic effects of EOs were measured using an aqueous cell proliferation assay kit and supernatants were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-5, and interferon-γ (INF-γ) protein levels were measured to determine the anti-inflammatory effects of essential oil. Results EOs were found to have cytotoxic effects on PBMCs at levels of over 1%. EOs not only could induce PBMCs to produce chemical mediators, but it also significantly inhibited the LPS induced TNF-α and INF-γ productions as well as the PHA induced INF-γ production. Conclusion EOs had cytotoxic effects at high concentrations and modulated chemical mediator productions from PBMC. These data suggest that EOs could be used to treat immunologic or inflammatory diseases. Key words: Anti-inflammation ㆍ Chamaecyparis obtusa ㆍ Essential oil ㆍ Peripheral blood mononuclear cell