Elecampane — the forgotten root that quiets a persistent cough?

Aim of the study: Inula helenium L. is an herb with anti-inflammatory properties. Sesquiterpene lactones (SLs), mainly alantolactone (AL) and isoalantolactone (IAL), are considered its active ingredients. However, the anti-inflammatory effects of SL-containing extracts of I. helenium have not been explored. Here we prepared total SLs from I.

Results: Chemical analysis showed that AL and IAL are major constituents of TSL-IHL. TSL-IHL, as well as AL and IAL, could inhibit TNF-α-induced activation of the NF-κB and MAPK pathways in b. End3 cells, suppress the expression of MMP-3, MCP-1, and IL-1 in TNF-α-stimulated synovial fibroblasts, and suppress IL-1, IL-6, and iNOS in LPS-activated RAW 264.7 cells in a dose-dependent manner in the range of 0.6–2.4 μg/mL. Oral administration of TSL-IHL at 12.5–50 mg/kg could dose-dependently reduce the severity of arthritis and paw swelling in rats with adjuvant- or collagen-induced arthritis, both during its development and after it was established. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that TSL-IHL may have potential for preventing and treating rheumatoid arthritis.

Aim of the study: Skin injuries pose a substantial public health challenge, not only because of the physical trauma but also because of the accompanying pain and the complexities of wound healing. In this study, Inula helenium extract and lidocaine were loaded into electrospun PVA/calcium alginate nanofibers to promote skin wound healing and relieve the resulting pain.

Results: A bacterial penetration assay confirmed that the drug-loaded scaffolds reduced bacterial infiltration through the matrices. The wound-healing study showed that, on day 14, dressings loaded with Inula helenium extract and lidocaine could close wounds by up to 91.26 ± 5.93%. In addition, these scaffolds significantly reduced the animals' pain sensitivity. ELISA results suggested that the dressings modulated inflammation and reduced oxidative stress in the tissue.

Aim of the study: To investigate the efficacy of methanol-water extract of Inula helenium root against oxidative DNA damage.

Results: The methanol-water extract of Inula helenium root showed good antioxidant capacity [32.20 mg trolox equivalents (TE)/g dried weight (dw) by the ABTS method, 54.53 mg TE/g dw by the chromium-reducing antioxidant capacity method] and total phenolic content [29.83 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g dw]. Chlorogenic acid, ferulic acid, rosmarinic acid, and caffeic acid were identified in the extract by HPLC. GC-MS/MS showed that chlorogenic acid, ferulic acid, and Inula helenium root extract inhibited oxidative DNA base damage. The studies showed a substantial decrease in the amount of DNA base damage products when antioxidants were used. The results showed that ferulic acid inhibits DNA oxidation more effectively than chlorogenic acid. The methanol-water extract of Inula helenium root was found to inhibit oxidative DNA damage.

Aim of the study: Recent studies have shown that Nur77 and AMPKα play an important role in regulating adipogenesis, and that isoalantolactone (ISO), which targets both AMPKα and Nur77, inhibits adipogenesis. In this study, we hypothesized that Inula helenium (elecampane) root extract (IHE), which contains two sesquiterpene lactones, alantolactone (ALA) and ISO, as its major compounds, might inhibit adipogenesis.

Results: In this study, we hypothesized that Inula helenium (elecampane) root extract (IHE), which contains two sesquiterpene lactones, alantolactone (ALA) and ISO, as its major compounds, might inhibit adipogenesis. We found that ALA and IHE simultaneously target AMPKα and Nur77 and inhibit the adipogenic differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells, accompanied by decreased expression of adipocyte markers. Further mechanistic studies showed that IHE shares mechanisms of action with ISO: it reduces mitotic clonal expansion during the early phase of adipogenic differentiation and decreases the expression of cell cycle regulators. These results suggest that IHE inhibits adipogenesis, in part, by jointly regulating AMPKα and Nur77, and may have potential as a treatment for obesity and related metabolic dysfunction.

Aim of the study: Phytochemicals have been found effective in reducing oxidative stress and damage to cardiovascular and other tissues. This study investigated the effects of alantolactone (AL) on cardiac parameters in rabbits exposed to artificially induced oxidative stress.

Results: Hydrogen peroxide treatment substantially increased MDA content and SOD activity and decreased LARC, HRSC, DPPH, and catalase activity. AL treatment significantly decreased MDA content, TAOA, Trop-I, CK-MB, and AST levels and increased LARC, DPPH RSC, HRSC, and catalase activity. The observed effects of AL treatment on the animals' oxidative stress, antioxidant status, and cardiac biomarkers suggest that AL may effectively manage oxidative stress and cardiac damage.