Abstract
(E)-β-caryophyllene (BCP) is a natural sesquiterpene hydrocarbon present in hundreds of plant species. BCP possesses several important pharmacological activities, ranging from pain treatment to neurological and metabolic disorders. These are mainly due to its ability to interact with the cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2) and the complete lack of interaction with the brain CB1. A systematic analysis of plant species with essential oils containing a BCP percentage > 10% provided almost 300 entries with species belonging to 51 families. The essential oils were found to be extracted from 13 plant parts and samples originated from 56 countries worldwide. Statistical analyses included the evaluation of variability in BCP% and yield% as well as the statistical linkage between families, plant parts and countries of origin by cluster analysis. Identified species were also grouped according to their presence in the Belfrit list. The survey evidences the importance of essential oil yield evaluation in support of the chemical analysis. The results provide a comprehensive picture of the species with the highest BCP and yield percentages.
Highlights
The endogenous cannabinoid system (ECS) plays an important role in the immune response to an infection
The search was refined by selecting all papers with a chemical composition description
This selection provided 2604 entries, which were individually analyzed in order to select papers providing information on BCP percentage > 10%
Summary
The endogenous cannabinoid system (ECS) plays an important role in the immune response to an infection. Two cannabinoid (CB) receptors are described: cannabinoid type 1 receptor (CB1) and cannabinoid type 2 receptor (CB2), both G-protein coupled receptors [1]. The CB2 receptor represents the peripheral CB, due to its expression on circulating immune cells. Studies have found CB2 expression in the brain, such as cerebellum and microglial cells [2]. The CB2 receptor is involved in the attenuation of inflammatory immune responses. CB2 receptor pathway activation entails the suppression of cytokine release from immune cells and thereby dampening of the inflammatory response (immunosuppression) [3]
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