Anti‐inflammatory properties of an aldehydes‐enriched fraction of grapefruit essential oil

Abstract

Chronic inflammation is linked to the development of numerous diseases and is accompanied by increased cytokine secretion. Macrophages provide a first line of defense against pathogens that under inflammatory stimuli release pro‐inflammatory cytokines. The essential oil (EO) fractions obtained from Citrus spp. rich in different compounds have gained the attention of both researchers and users during the last decades. In particular, grapefruit (Citrus paradisi) peel is rich in phenolics and flavonoids with several health benefits, including anti‐inflammatory actions. Additionally, its EO consists of a large number of compounds such as monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, alcohols, aldehydes, esters, and oxides. Among the methods for encapsulating EOs, spray‐drying is the main one. In the present study, we aimed to determine the in vitro anti‐inflammatory activity of EO from C. paradisi (grapefruit essential oil [GEO]) (whole and fractions) in a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced inflammation model. Results indicate that Fr‐GEO and Fr‐GEO_SD exert protective effects against LPS‐induced inflammation by decreasing gene expression and levels of pro‐inflammatory cytokines as IL‐6 and TNF‐α. Monoterpenes as the most common components, as well as aldehydes and sesquiterpenes, might be responsible for such effects, although a synergistic action is not excluded. Furthermore, a higher percent of aldehydes is linked to improved olfactory properties. Our findings support the anti‐inflammatory effects of selected Fr‐GEO with a great potential for the development of new nutraceuticals and/or functional food for the treatment of inflammatory‐associated diseases. Practical Application The findings of this study support the anti‐inflammatory effects of selected Fr‐GEO with a great potential for the development of new nutraceuticals and/or functional food for the treatment of inflammatory‐associated diseases.

Multiplicative Effects of Essential Oils and Other Active Components on Skin Tissue and Skin Cancers

“…G-EO is a valuable ingredient because of its characteristic flavor and fragrance [32,33]. G-EO exhibits various biological activities, including free radical scavenging [29,[34][35][36][37] and antiinflammatory [38], anti-bacterial [39][40][41][42], anti-microbial [43], anti-proliferative [37], and anti-cancer activities [44][45][46], and is a positive regulator of sympathetic nervous system activity [47]. The main component of citrus EO is limonene, an important anti-oxidant [48] and anti-inflammatory agent [49].…”

Polyphenol-Rich Extracts and Essential Oil from Egyptian Grapefruit Peel as Potential Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, and Anti-Inflammatory Food Additives

“…The citrus genus has garnered great attention due to its abundance of EOs with high antibacterial, antifungal, and insecticidal properties [20]. However, the EOs extracted from GF peels also showed a great antioxidant capacity [21], and recently, a study from Nikolic et al [22] suggested that EO extracted from GF peels showed a protective action against LPS-induced inflammation by attenuating the gene expression and concentrations of pro-inflammatory interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) cytokines. The main advantage of EOs compared to polyphenol-rich extracts is their recognized interest in food applications as it has been used since ancient times.…”