RESEARCH - Regulation of cellular metabolism and cytokines by the medicinal herb feverfew in human monocytic THP-1 cells

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Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2009 Mar;6(1):91-8. Epub 2007 Jun 11.

Regulation of Cellular Metabolism and Cytokines by the Medicinal Herb

Feverfew in the Human Monocytic THP-1 Cells.

Chen CF, Cheng CH.

Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, 100 Jordan Hall, Clemson

University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA.

The herb feverfew is a folk remedy for various symptoms including

inflammation. Inflammation has recently been implicated in the genesis

of many diseases including cancers, atherosclerosis and rheumatoid

arthritis. The mechanisms of action of feverfew in the human body are

largely unknown. To determine the cellular targets of feverfew

extracts, we have utilized oligo microarrays to study the gene

expression profiles elicited by feverfew extracts in human monocytic

THP-1 cells. We have identified 400 genes that are consistently

regulated by feverfew extracts. Most of the genes are involved in

cellular metabolism. However, the genes undergoing the highest degree

of change by feverfew treatment are involved in other pathways

including chemokine function, water homeostasis and heme-mediated

signaling. Our results also suggest that feverfew extracts effectively

reduce Lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-mediated TNF-alpha and CCL2 (MCP-1)

releases by THP-1 cells. We hypothesize that feverfew components

mediate metabolism, cell migration and cytokine production in human

monocytes/macrophages.

PMID: 18955216

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18955216

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