Monoterpenes isolated from Minthostachys verticillata (Griseb.) Epling essential oil modulates immediate-type hypersensitivity responses in vitro and in vivo.

CARIDDI LN; ESCOBAR F; MOSER M; PANERO A; ALANIZ F; ZYGADLO J; SABINI LI; MALDONADO AM

PLANTA MEDICA

GEORG THIEME VERLAG KG

Año: 2011 vol. 77 p. 1687 - 1694

0032-0943

In previous work we demonstrated that M. verticillata essential oil has immunomoludatory effects in vitro on cells from allergic patients. The aim of this work is to investigate if the essential oil’s main components: pulegone, menthone, or limonene, modulates both in vitro and in vivo the immediate-type allergic reaction. Essential oil from M. verticillata was analyzed by gas chromatography and quantification of main components identified was: pulegone (63.4%), menthone (15.9%) and limonene (2.1 %). Lymphocytes from allergic patients were stimulated with essential oil or with monoterpenes alone or in combination, and IL-13 was quantified in supernatants. All compounds showed a marked stimulatory effect on cells although menthone showed the lower activity (p<0.05). Interestingly, monoterpenes reduced the levels of IL-13, being limonene or (pulegone + menthone + limonene) the most active (p<0.0001). Liberation of b-hexosaminidase enzyme (â-h) was determined for basophils from allergic patients, with added essential oil or monoterpenes and the effects on cells were compared with those of anti-allergic drugs. Monoterpenes alone or in combination of three reduced b-h liberation with greater effects than those of desloratadine (p<0.0001). In addition, in the murine passive cutaneous anaphylaxis model, only essential oil and limonene were able to inhibit the effects of mast cell activation and degranulation in the skin and dose-dependently prevented the extravasation of fluids into the tissue, being limonene the most active (p<0.05) Limonene isolated from M. verticillata essential oil, exert immunomodulatory effects both in vitro and in vivo that might be relevant for the impairment of different parameters of the allergic response, such as IL-13 production and mast cell activation, indicating that this monoterpene is a very promising natural component for a novel treatment of allergic diseases.