Anti-inflammatory activities of cucurbitacin E isolated from Citrullus lanatus var. citroides: role of reactive nitrogen species and cyclooxygenase enzymes inhibition

• Main Authors: Abdelwahab, Siddig Ibrahim, Ahmed Hassan, Loiy Elsir, Mohd Sirat, Hasnah, Mohamed Ahmed Yagi, Sakina, Mohamed, Waleed Sayed Koko, Mohan, Syam, Taha, Manal Mohamed Elhassan, Ahmad, Syahida, Cheah, Shiau Chuen, Mohd Fauzi, Putri Narrima, Rais, Mohd Mustafa, A. Hadi, A. Hamid
• Format: Article
• Published: Elsevier 2011
• Online Access: http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/22371/; http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0367326X11001870

The in vivo and in vitro mechanistic anti-inflammatory actions of cucurbitacin E (CE) (Citrullus lanatus var. citroides) were examined. The results showed that LPS/INF-γ increased NO production in RAW264.7 macrophages, whereas L-NAME and CE curtailed it. CE did not reveal any cytotoxicity on RAW264.7 and WRL-68 cells. CE inhibited both COX enzymes with more selectivity toward COX-2. Intraperitoneal injection of CE significantly suppressed carrageenan-induced rat's paw edema. ORAC and FRAP assays showed that CE is not a potent ROS scavenger. It could be concluded that CE is potentially useful in treating inflammation through the inhibition of COX and RNS but not ROS.