Synergistic immunomopharmacological effects of N-alkylamides in Echinacea purpurea herbal extracts
Publisher DOI
PubMed ID
19303464
Abstract
Echinacea purpurea extracts are used in the production of standardized herbal medicines for the prevention and treatment of upper respiratory infections. Unsaturated N-alkylamide lipids, the main constituent of E. purpurea and E. angustifolia preparations capable of activating the cannabinoid receptor type-2 (CB2) have been suggested to play a role as potential anti-inflammatory and immune-modulatory principles. Here we show that ethanolic E. purpurea radix and herba extracts produce synergistic pharmacological effects on the endocannabinoid system in vitro. Superadditive action of N-alkylamide combinations was seen at the level of intracellular calcium release as a function of CB2 receptor activation. Likewise, synergism of the radix and herba tinctures was observed in experiments measuring LPS-stimulated cytokine expression from human PBMCs. While the expression of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 was significantly superstimulated, the expression of the pro-inflammatory TNF-alpha protein was inhibited more strongly upon combination of the extracts. We show that N-alkylamides act in concert and exert pleiotropic effects modulating the endocannabinoid system by simultaneously targeting the CB2 receptor, endocannabinoid transport and degradation.
Date Issued
2009
Publication Type
Article
Language(s)
en
Author(s)
Chicca, Andrea | |
Raduner, Stefan | |
Pellati, Federica | |
Strompen, Thomas | |
Altmann, Karl-Heinz | |
Schoop, Roland |
Additional Credits
Journal
International immunopharmacology
Publisher
Elsevier
ISSN
1567-5769
Access(Rights)
metadata.only