Phenethylisothiocyanate from Barbarea verna as anti‐inflammatory agent
Abstract
Phenethylisothiocyanate (PEITC) applied as a synthetic compound or as a botanical formulation ( Barbarea verna seed preparations, BSP) is capable of suppressing in vitro expression of the pro‐inflammatory genes in a concentration dependent manner at the mRNA level. The in vitro activity of PEITC, in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐stimulated mouse macrophage cell line RAW 264.7, was compared to that of two nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAID)‐ aspirin and rofecoxib. PEITC was the most active out of five forms of isothiocyanate tested, in terms of inhibiting inflammation‐related gene expression. In vivo , BSP had strong anti‐inflammatory activity, significantly reducing the size of carrageenan‐induced rat paw edema. The in vivo effect was comparable to that of aspirin. We conclude that BSP may function as an antiinflammatory agent.