Though many essential oils from citrus peels are claimed to have several medicinal functions, the chemical composition and biological activities of the essential oils of Citrus flowers have not been well described. Therefore, this study intended to investigate the chemical composition and anti-inflammatory potential of essential oils from C. unshiu flower (CEO) to support its purported beneficial health effects. The chemical constituents of the CEO, analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), included γ-terpinene (24.7%), 2-β-pinene (16.6%), 1-methyl-2-isopropylbenzene (11.5%), L-limonene (5.7%), β-ocimene (5.6%), and α-pinene (4.7%). The effects of the CEO on nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated RAW 264.7 macrophages were also examined. The results indicate that the CEO is an effective inhibitor of LPS-induced NO and PGE2 production in RAW 264.7 cells. Additionally, CEO was shown to suppress the production of inflammatory cytokines including interleukin (IL)-1β, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and IL-6. Based on these results, CEO may be considered a potential anti-inflammatory candidate with human health benefits.
BaserKHC, BuchbauerG. (2010) Handbook of Essential Oils-Science, Technology, and Applications. CRC press, Boca Raton, Florida.
2.
BostancıoğluRB, KürkçüoğluM, BaşerKH, KoparalAT (2012) Assessment of anti-angiogenic and anti-tumoral potentials of Origanum onites L. essential oil. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 50, 2002–2008.
3.
GuleriaS, TikuAK, KoulA, GuptaS, SinghG, RazdanVK. (2013) Antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of the essential oil and extracts of Zanthoxylum alatum grown in north-western Himalaya. Scientific World Journal, 2013, 790580.
4.
YoonWJ, MoonJY, KangJY, KimGO, LeeNH, HyunCG. (2010) Neolitsea sericea essential oil attenuates LPS-induced inflammation in RAW 264.7 macrophages by suppressing NF-kappaB and MAPK activation. Natural Product Communications, 5, 1311–1316.
5.
FerrazRP, BomfimDS, CarvalhoNC, SoaresMB, da SilvaTB, MachadoWJ, PrataAP, CostaEV, MoraesVR, NogueiraPC, BezerraDP. (2013) Cytotoxic effect of leaf essential oil of Lippia gracilis Schauer (Verbenaceae). Phytomedicine, 20, 615–621.
6.
LyuJH, LeeHT. (2013) Effects of dried Citrus unshiu peels on gastrointestinal motility in rodents. Archives of Pharmacol Research, 36, 641–648.
7.
ParkHJ, JungUJ, ChoSJ, JungHK, ShimS, ChoiMS. (2013) Citrus unshiu peel extract ameliorates hyperglycemia and hepatic steatosis by altering inflammation and hepatic glucose- and lipid-regulating enzymes in db/db mice. Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, 24, 419–427.
8.
ItoA, ShinN, TsuchidaT, OkuboT, NorimotoH. (2013) Antianxiety-like effects of chimpi (dried citrus peels) in the elevated open-platform test. Molecules, 18, 10014–10023.
9.
ParkHY, ChoiHD, EomH, ChoiI. (2013) Enzymatic modification enhances the protective activity of citrus flavonoids against alcohol-induced liver disease. Food Chemistry, 139, 231–240.
10.
ParkHY, HaSK, EomH, ChoiI. (2013) Narirutin fraction from citrus peels attenuates alcoholic liver disease in mice. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 55, 637–644.
11.
OhYC, ChoWK, JeongYH, ImGY, YangMC, HwangYH, MaJY. (2012) Anti-inflammatory effect of Citrus unshiu peel in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. American Journal of Chinese Medicine, 40, 611–629.
12.
TakayanagiK. (2011) Prevention of adiposity by the oral administration of β-cryptoxanthin. Frontiers in Neurology, 2, 67.
13.
TakayanagiK, MorimotoS, ShirakuraY, MukaiK, SugiyamaT, TokujiY, OhnishiM. (2011) Mechanism of visceral fat reduction in Tsumura Suzuki obese, diabetes (TSOD) mice orally administered β-cryptoxanthin from Satsuma mandarin oranges (Citrus unshiu Marc). Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 59, 12342–12351.
14.
LeeS, RaJ, SongJY, GwakC, KwonHJ, YimSV, HongSP, KimJ, LeeKH, ChoJJ, ParkYS, ParkCS, AhnHJ. (2011) Extracts from Citrus unshiu promote immune-mediated inhibition of tumor growth in a murine renal cell carcinoma model. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 133, 973–979.
15.
FujitaT, ShiuraT, MasudaM, TokunagaM, KawaseA, IwakiM, GatoT, FumuroM, SasakiK, UtsunomiyaN, MatsudaH. (2008) Anti-allergic effect of a combination of Citrus unshiu unripe fruits extract and prednisolone on picryl chloride-induced contact dermatitis in mice. Journal of Natural Medicines, 62, 202–206.
16.
CostaCA, CuryTC, CassettariBO, TakahiraRK, FlórioJC, CostaM. (2013) Citrus aurantium L. essential oil exhibits anxiolytic-like activity mediated by 5-HT(lA)-receptors and reduces cholesterol after repeated oral treatment. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 13, 42.
MitoshiM, KuriyamaI, NakayamaH, MiyazatoH, SugimotoK, KobayashiY, JippoT, KanazawaK, YoshidaH, MizushinaY (2012) Effects of essential oils from herbal plants and citrus fruits on DNA polymerase inhibitory, cancer cell growth inhibitory, antiallergic, and antioxidant activities. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 60, 11343–11350.
19.
GoesTC, AntunesFD, AlvesPB, Teixeira-SilvaF. (2012) Effect of sweet orange aroma on experimental anxiety in humans. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 18, 798–804.
20.
TundisR, LoizzoMR, BonesiM, MenichiniF, MastelloneV, ColicaC, MenichiniF. (2012) Comparative study on the antioxidant capacity and cholinesterase inhibitory activity of Citrus aurantifolia Swingle, C aurantium L., and C bergamia Risso and Poit. peel essential oils. Journal of Food Science, 77, H40–H46.
21.
LopesLM C, GonçalvesSá C, de AlmeidaAA, da CostaJP, MarquesTH, FeitosaCM, SaldanhaGB, de FreitasRM. (2011) Sedative, anxiolytic and antidepressant activities of Citrus limon (Burn) essential oil in mice. Pharmazie, 66, 623–627.
22.
YangEJ, KimSS, MoonJY, OhTH, BaikJS, LeeNH, HyunCG. (2010) Inhibitory effects of Fortunella japonica var. margarita and Citrus sunki essential oils on nitric oxide production and skin pathogens. Acta Microbiologica et Immunologica Hungarica, 57, 15–27.
23.
KimSS, BaikJS, OhTH, YoonWJ, LeeNH, HyunCG. (2008) Biological activities of Korean Citrus obovoidea and Citrus natsudaidai essential oils against acne-inducing bacteria. Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry, 72, 2507–2513.
24.
BaikJS, KimSS, LeeJA, OhTH, KimJY, LeeNH, HyunCG. (2008) Chemical composition and biological activities of essential oils extracted from Korean endemic citrus species. Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology, 18, 74–79.
25.
HyunCG, KimGC, HwangKT, LeeNH. (2010) Recent scientific advances on some essential oils in skin care. Household Personal Care TODAY, 5, 16–18.
26.
GuzikTJ, KorbutR, Adamek-GuzikT. (2003) Nitric oxide and superoxide in inflammation and immune regulation. Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology, 54, 469–487.
27.
BuapoolD, MongkolN, ChantimalJ, RoytrakulS, SrisookE, SrisookK. (2013) Molecular mechanism of anti-inflammatory activity of Pluchea indica leaves in macrophages RAW 264.7 and its action in animal models of inflammation. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 146, 495–504.
28.
ChaJY, JungJY, JungJY, LeeJR, ChoIJ, KuSK, ByunSH, AhnYT, LeeCW, KimSC, AnWG. (2013) Inhibitory effects of traditional herbal formula pyungwi-san on inflammatory response in vitro and in vivo. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2013, 630198.
KimKN, HeoSJ, YoonWJ, KangSM, AhnG, YiTH, JeonYJ. (2010) Fucoxanthin inhibits the inflammatory response by suppressing the activation of NF-κB and MAPKs in lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages. European Journal of Pharmacology, 649, 369–375.
31.
YangEJ, HamYM, LeeWJ, LeeNH, HyunCG. (2013) Anti-inflammatory effects of apo-9′-fucoxanthinone from the brown alga, Sargassum muticum. DARU Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 21, 62.
32.
MoonJY, YangEJ, KimSS, KangJY, KimGO, LeeNH, HyunCG. (2011) Sasa quelpaertensis phenylpropanoid derivative suppresses lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide synthase and cyclo-oxygenase-2 expressions in RAW 264.7 cells. Yakugaku Zasshi, 131, 961–967.
