Effects of Boswellia Serrata Roxb. and Curcuma longa L. in an In Vitro Intestinal Inflammation Model Using Immune Cells and Caco-2

Abstract

Inflammatory bowel diseases, which consist of chronic inflammatory conditions of the colon and the small intestine, are considered a global disease of our modern society. Recently, the interest toward the use of herbal therapies for the management of inflammatory bowel diseases has increased because of their effectiveness and favourable safety profile, compared to conventional drugs. Boswellia serrata Roxb. and Curcuma longa L. are amongst the most promising herbal drugs, however, their clinical use in inflammatory bowel diseases is limited and little is known on their mechanism of action. The aim of this work was to investigate the effects of two phytochemically characterized extracts of B. serrata and C. longa in an in vitro model of intestinal inflammation. Their impact on cytokine release and reactive oxygen species production, as well as the maintenance of the intestinal barrier function and on intestinal mucosa immune cells infiltration, has been evaluated. The extracts showed a good protective effect on the intestinal epithelium at 1 µg/mL, with TEER values increasing by approximately 1.5 fold, compared to LPS-stimulated cells. C. longa showed an anti-inflammatory mechanism of action, reducing IL-8, TNF-α and IL-6 production by approximately 30%, 25% and 40%, respectively, compared to the inflammatory stimuli. B. serrata action was linked to its antioxidant effect, with ROS production being reduced by 25%, compared to H2O2-stimulated Caco-2 cells. C. longa and B. serrata resulted to be promising agents for the management of inflammatory bowel diseases by modulating in vitro parameters which have been identified in the clinical conditions.

Biochemistry, Safety, Pharmacological Activities, and Clinical Applications of Turmeric: A Mechanistic Review

“…e mentioned action was also observed in an in vitro model of intestinal inflammation. Besides it, the protective effect of turmeric on the intestinal epithelium may be promising for patients with inflammatory bowel disease [78]. Also, it has been shown that turmeric significantly lowers the level of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (as an acute-phase protein) in a number of clinical trials [79,80].…”

Sangiovese cv Pomace Seeds Extract-Fortified Kefir Exerts Anti-Inflammatory Activity in an In Vitro Model of Intestinal Epithelium Using Caco-2 Cells

“…The efficiency of the barrier functions was evaluated by measuring trans-epithelial electric resistance (TEER) using a voltmeter [36]. Caco-2 cells (8 × 10 5 ) were placed in transparent polyester membrane cell culture inserts with 0.4 µM pore size (Sarstedt) as previously described [37]. Culture medium was replaced every other day.…”

Pomegranate Mesocarp against Colitis-Induced Visceral Pain in Rats: Effects of a Decoction and Its Fractions

“…In IBDs, patients upregulated expression of cytokines (such as TNF-α, IL-6, IL-12, IL-17) and substance P [25,26], and alterations in gut microbiota [27] were observed, as well as significantly increased numbers of mast cells in the mucosa of the ileum and colon [28], even in IBS patients [29]. Mast cells play a very important role in the regulation of intestinal permeability and, being below the intestinal mucosa barrier, can be activated by microbial antigens [30,31]. In addition, levels of tight junction proteins are significantly downregulated in IBDs patients, leading to increased gut permeability to microbial ligands and noxious metabolites, resulting in systemic inflammatory responses [32,33].…”