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One of the beneficial effects of peptide-rich protein hydrolysates on diverse pathological conditions has emerged from the concept that their intake as ingredients of dietary supplements or pharmaceutical preparations would have the potential to influence the inflammatory response. Leukocytes are physiologically and strategically positioned in the front line of the defense mechanisms and are the main protagonists of the inflammatory response. Their orchestral extravasation through sequential events that lead them to transmigrate across the endothelial barrier is the hallmark of inflammation. As the direct effects of the milk-derived bioactive molecules on circulating blood leukocyte behavior are still little understood and under explored, we have exposed freshly isolated human blood leukocytes to different caseinate-derived phosphopeptides (CPP) produced by trypsin digestion and studied their influence on cellular adhesiveness and mobilization, two of the most crucial leukocyte functions. We also observed their participation on a wound recovery model. The results herein presented and for the first time reported suggest that the CPP obtained by an enzymatic controlled hydrolysis are potential modulators of leukocyte adhesion by altering the expression of VLA-4 and VLA-5 integrins. CPP can also alter leukocyte trafficking by attracting or repelling them influencing, thus, the inflammatory response. In addition, these peptides might favor the recovery of wounds acting positively on fibroblast migration. Our results support the concept that CPP can add benefits for nutritional deficient patients through the enhancement of some crucial leukocyte functions mitigating the inflammatory components often present in malnutrition states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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ABSTRACT Malva sylvestris is a species used worldwide as an alternative to anti-inflammatory therapies; however, its mechanism of action remains unknown. In this paper, the anti-inflammatory effects of M. sylvestris alcoholic extracts were evaluated by measuring the pro-inflammatory mediators PGE2 and PGD2 in desferrioxamine-stimulated phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-differentiated U937 cells. An HPLC-DAD fingerprint of the M. sylvestris extract was performed and caffeic acid, ferulic acid and scopoletin were identified and quantified. An HPLC-MS/MS method was developed and validated to separate and measure the prostaglandins. The lower limits of detection (~0.5 ng/mL for PGE2 and PGD2) and quantification (1.0 ng/mL for PGE2 and PGD2) indicated that the method is highly sensitive. The calibration curves showed excellent coefficients of correlation ( r > 0.99) over the range of 1.0-500.0 ng/mL, and at different levels, the accuracy ranged from 96.4 to 106.4% with an RSD < 10.0% for the precision study. This method was successfully applied using U937-d cells. A significant dose-dependent reduction of PGE2 and PGD2 levels occurred using 10 µg/mL (10.74 ± 2.86 and 9.60 ± 6.89%) and 50 µg/mL of extract (48.37 ± 3.24 and 53.06 ± 6.15%), suggesting that the anti-inflammatory mechanisms evoked by M. sylvestris may be related to modulation of these mediators. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constituents of the essential oils from the aerial parts ofBaccharis articulata(Ba),Baccharis genistelloidessubsp.crispa(Bc),Baccharis dracunculifolia(Bd) andBaccharis gaudichaudiana(Bg), Asteraceae, obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography (GC)/mass spectrometry (MS) and GC/flame ionization detector (FID) were identified. Also, their anti-inflammatory potential, focusing their immunomodulatory activity using flow cytometric analyses and AgNOR profiles, and anti-chemotactic properties, conducted using a Boyden’s chamber system, were investigated. Fifty-eight compounds were characterized, representing 66.7% of the total components detected. The major constituents identified were spathulenol (in Ba, Bd and Bg), τ-gurjunene (in Bg) and palustrol (in Ba). The data presented herein showed that theBaccharisessential oils included in this study were inert for human resting lymphocytes, while all but Ba’s inhibited significantly the proliferation of their phytohemagglutinin-stimulated counterparts. In addition, only the essential oil of Bd inhibited significantly the casein-induced human granulocyte chemotaxis. This is the first report concerning the potential diversity of anti-inflammatory activities of the essential oils ofBaccharisplants on human cells responsible for the host defense mechanisms that may be of benefit in intervening with immune disorders associated or not with inflammatory conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this study, we have investigated the ability of the hydroethanolic extract prepared from the flower heads of Chamomilla recutita (L.) Rauschert (Asteraceae) to interfere with human leukocyte chemotaxis induced by casein using the in vitro Boyden system. The results showed a striking dose-related inhibition of the casein-induced human polymorphonuclear leukocyte migration after chamomile extract treatment in comparison with untreated controls, a biological effect never reported before for this ancient plant. Moreover, these effects were similar to those showed by dexamethasone, a model drug. Of particular interest are the results observed after pretreating these cells with morphine, in which the antichemotactic activity could be partially blocked, suggesting that these effects might be opioid receptor mediated. The data herein presented may be useful to clarify the worldwide use of this herbal medicine as an oral infusion, supporting its ethnomedical application as a calming, spasmolytic, and anti-inflammatory agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]