Inhibitory effect of the flowers of artichoke (Cynara cardunculus) on TPA-induced inflammation and tumor promotion in two-stage carcinogenesis in mouse skin.

The methanol extract of the flowers of artichoke (Cynara cardunculus) exhibited remarkable antitumor activity in an in vivo two-stage carcinogenesis test in mice, using 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene as an initiator and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) as a promoter. From the active fraction of the methanol extract, four triterpene alcohols and their corresponding acetates were isolated and identified. These compounds were evaluated for their inhibitory effects on TPA-induced inflammation (1 microg/ear) in mice and showed marked anti-inflammatory effects, with a 50% inhibitory dose of 0.50-0.91 micromol/ear.