Cedrela odorata L. is a native plant of the Amazon region. The bark is used in folk remedies for the treatment of diarrhea, vomiting, fever and inflammation. Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, relapsing inflammatory skin disease accompanied by itching. It is a complex disease involving environmental factors and genetic factors. In the present study, the anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effects of C. odorata L. methanol extract (COEE) on tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interferon (IFN)-γ-stimulated HaCaT keratinocyte cells were investigated. ELISA and RT-PCR analysis revealed that the extract had anti-inflammatory effects, and reduced the interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 levels of the HaCaT cells. In addition, COEE exhibited anti-allergic effects, comprising a reduction in the thymus and activation-regulated chemokine and macrophage-derived chemokine levels. In addition, pathway analysis and comparison with Bay11-7082 indicated that these effects are due to the inhibition of nuclear factor (NF)-κB in TNF-α/IFN-γ-induced HaCaT cells. Therefore, the results of the present study suggest that COEE has anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic properties in TNF-α and IFN-γ-stimulated HaCaT cells, which are associated with the inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines via the NF-κB pathway.
Keywords: Cedrela odorata; anti-inflammation; atopic dermatitis; chemokine; pro-inflammatory cytokine.