AIM: To assess the effects of mastic administration on cytokine production of circulating mononuclear cells of patients with active Crohn's disease (CD). METHODS: The study was conducted in patients with established mildly to moderately active CD, attending the outpatient clinics of the hospital, and in healthy controls. Recruited to a 4 wk treatment with mastic caps (6 caps/d, 0.37 g/cap) were 10 patients and 8 controls, all of who successfully completed the protocol. Interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) and intracellular antioxidant glutathione (GSH) were evaluated in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) before and after treatment. RESULTS: Treating CD patients with mastic resulted in the reduction of TNF-alpha secretion (2.1 +/- 0.9 ng/mL vs 0.5 +/- 0.4 ng/mL, P = 0.028). MIF release was significantly increased (1.2 +/- 0.4 ng/mL vs 2.5 +/- 0.7 ng/mL, P = 0.026) meaning that random migration and chemotaxis of monocytes/macrophages was inhibited. No significant changes were observed in IL-6, MCP-1 and GSH concentrations. CONCLUSION: This study shows that mastic acts as an immunomodulator on PBMC, acting as a TNF-alpha inhibitor and a MIF stimulator. Although further double-blind, placebo-controlled studies in a large number of patients is required to clarify the role of this natural product, this finding provides strong evidence that mastic might be an important regulator of immunity in CD.
AIM: To assess the effects of mastic administration on cytokine production of circulating mononuclear cells of patients with active Crohn's disease (CD). METHODS: The study was conducted in patients with established mildly to moderately active CD, attending the outpatient clinics of the hospital, and in healthy controls. Recruited to a 4 wk treatment with mastic caps (6 caps/d, 0.37 g/cap) were 10 patients and 8 controls, all of who successfully completed the protocol. Interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) and intracellular antioxidant glutathione (GSH) were evaluated in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) before and after treatment. RESULTS: Treating CDpatients with mastic resulted in the reduction of TNF-alpha secretion (2.1 +/- 0.9 ng/mL vs 0.5 +/- 0.4 ng/mL, P = 0.028). MIF release was significantly increased (1.2 +/- 0.4 ng/mL vs 2.5 +/- 0.7 ng/mL, P = 0.026) meaning that random migration and chemotaxis of monocytes/macrophages was inhibited. No significant changes were observed in IL-6, MCP-1 and GSH concentrations. CONCLUSION: This study shows that mastic acts as an immunomodulator on PBMC, acting as a TNF-alpha inhibitor and a MIF stimulator. Although further double-blind, placebo-controlled studies in a large number of patients is required to clarify the role of this natural product, this finding provides strong evidence that mastic might be an important regulator of immunity in CD.
Authors: Andriana C Kaliora; Maria G Stathopoulou; John K Triantafillidis; George V Z Dedoussis; Nikolaos K Andrikopoulos Journal: World J Gastroenterol Date: 2007-02-07 Impact factor: 5.742
Authors: Robert A Mitchell; Hong Liao; Jason Chesney; Gunter Fingerle-Rowson; John Baugh; John David; Richard Bucala Journal: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A Date: 2001-12-26 Impact factor: 11.205
Authors: R Kleemann; A Hausser; G Geiger; R Mischke; A Burger-Kentischer; O Flieger; F J Johannes; T Roger; T Calandra; A Kapurniotu; M Grell; D Finkelmeier; H Brunner; J Bernhagen Journal: Nature Date: 2000-11-09 Impact factor: 49.962
Authors: T Calandra; J Bernhagen; C N Metz; L A Spiegel; M Bacher; T Donnelly; A Cerami; R Bucala Journal: Nature Date: 1995-09-07 Impact factor: 49.962
Authors: Roja Rahimi; Amir Baghaei; Maryam Baeeri; Gholamreza Amin; Mohammad Reza Shams-Ardekani; Mahnaz Khanavi; Mohammad Abdollahi Journal: World J Gastroenterol Date: 2013-03-28 Impact factor: 5.742