The anti-inflammatory pharmacology of Pycnogenol in humans involves COX-2 and 5-LOX mRNA expression in leukocytes

Int Immunopharmacol. 2009 Sep;9(10):1145-9. doi: 10.1016/j.intimp.2009.06.001. Epub 2009 Jun 7.

Abstract

We investigated the effects of Pycnogenol supplementation on the arachidonic acid pathway in human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL) in response to an inflammatory stimulus. Pycnogenol is a standardised extract of French maritime pine bark consisting of procyanidins and polyphenolic monomers. Healthy volunteers aged 35 to 50 years were supplemented with 150 mg Pycnogenol a day for five days. Before and after the final day of supplementation, blood was drawn and PMNL were isolated. PMNL were primed with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and stimulated with the receptor-mediated agonist formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP) to activate the arachidonic acid pathway and the biosynthesis of leukotrienes, thromboxane and prostaglandins. Pycnogenol supplementation inhibited 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) gene expression and phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity. This effect was associated with a compensatory up-regulation of COX-1 gene expression. Interestingly, Pycnogenol suspended the interdependency between 5-LOX and 5-lipoxygenase activating protein (FLAP) expression. Pycnogenol supplementation reduced leukotriene production but did not leave prostaglandins unaltered, which we attribute to a decline of COX-2 activity in favour of COX-1. Here we show for the first time that Pycnogenol supplementation simultaneously inhibits COX-2 and 5-LOX gene expression and reduces leukotriene biosynthesis in human PMNL upon pro-inflammatory stimulation ex vivo.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Arachidonate 5-Lipoxygenase / genetics
  • Arachidonate 5-Lipoxygenase / immunology
  • Arachidonate 5-Lipoxygenase / metabolism*
  • Arachidonic Acids / metabolism
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cyclooxygenase 1 / genetics
  • Cyclooxygenase 1 / immunology
  • Cyclooxygenase 1 / metabolism
  • Cyclooxygenase 2 / genetics
  • Cyclooxygenase 2 / immunology
  • Cyclooxygenase 2 / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Flavonoids / administration & dosage*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / drug effects
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / immunology
  • Humans
  • Lipopolysaccharides / immunology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neutrophils / drug effects*
  • Neutrophils / enzymology
  • Neutrophils / immunology
  • Neutrophils / pathology
  • Phospholipases A2 / genetics
  • Phospholipases A2 / immunology
  • Phospholipases A2 / metabolism
  • Plant Extracts
  • RNA, Messenger / analysis

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • Arachidonic Acids
  • Flavonoids
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • Plant Extracts
  • RNA, Messenger
  • pycnogenols
  • Arachidonate 5-Lipoxygenase
  • Cyclooxygenase 1
  • Cyclooxygenase 2
  • PTGS2 protein, human
  • Phospholipases A2