SUMMARY
Tea tree oil (TTO) is well known as an anti-microbial and immunomodulatory agent and the latter
property was examined in this study. Male, C57BI10 x CBA/H (F1), mice were exposed to TTO vapour
three times a day, for one week. During this period, half of the mice also received naltrexone (endogenous
opioid receptor antagonist) in their drinking water. A day before the end of the TTO inhalation treatment a
number of the mice were intra-peritoneally injected with Zymosan or PBS. Spleens and peritoneal
exudates were collected 24 h after the injections. Cultured splenocytes were used in in vitro proliferation
assays with PHA, and LPS mitogens and peritoneal leukocytes (PTLs) were used for cytofluorimetric
ROS level measurement.
The results obtained confirmed the anti-inflammatory properties of TTO, expressed as an inhibition
of the increase in the PTL number stimulated by Zymosan. This effect was reversed by naltrexone,
suggesting that TTO acts via the endogenous opioid system. TTO also stopped the proliferation of
splenocytes in response to mitogens and the activity of PTLs was equivalent to that seen in the control
(without inflammation) groups.
KEY WORDS
tea tree oil; peritonitis; splenocytes; immunity; mice
REFERENCES
Ajuebor MN et al.: Endogenous monocyte
chemoattractant protein-1 recruits monocytes
in the zymosan peritonitis model. J Leukoc
Biol 63:108-116, 1998.
Alkiewicz J, Kedzia B, Han S: The role of tea tree
oil in phytotherapy. Part II, Therapeutic
application (in Polish). Postepy fitoterapii 3/2000,
Brand C et al.: Tea tree oil reduces swelling
associated with the efferent phase of a contact
hypersensitivity response. Inflam Res
51:236-244, 2002a.
Brand C, Townley SL, Finlay-Jones JJ, Hart
PH: Tea tree oil reduces histamin-induced
oedema in murine ears. Inflam Res 51:283-289, 2002b.
Buchbauer G, Jirovets L, Jager W, Plank C,
Dietrich H: Fragrance compounds and
essential oils with sedative effects upon
inhalation. J Pharm Sci 82:660-664, 1993.
Carson CF, Cookson BD, Farrelly HD,
Riley TV: Susceptibility of methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus to the essential
oil of Melaleuca alternifolia. J Antimicrob
Chemother 35:421-424, 1995.
Chadzinska M, Kolaczkowska E, Seljelid R,
Plytycz B: Morphine modulation of peritoneal
inflammation in Atlantic salmon and CB6
mice. J Leukoc Biol 65:590-596, 1999.
Drela N, Zesko I: Gender related early immune
changes in mice exposed to airborne suspended
matter. Immunopharm Immunotox 25:101-121, 2003.
Finlay-Jones J, Hart P, Riley TV, Carson C:
Terpinen-4-ol, the main component of the
essential oil of Melaleuca alternifolia (TTO)
suppresses inflammatory mediator production
by activated human monocytes. In: Anti-inflammatory
Activity of Tea Tree Oil, Rural
Industries Research & Development
Corporation Publication No 01/10, Chapter 2,
2002a.
Finlay-Jones J, Hart P, Riley TV, Carson C: The
water-soluble components of the essential oil
of Melaleuca alternifolia suppress the
production of superoxide by human monocytes,
but not neutrophils, activated in vitro. In: Anti-inflammatory
Activity of Tea Tree Oil, Rural
Industries Research & Development
Corporation Publication No 01/10, Chapter 3,
2002b.
Fujiwara R et al.: Effects of a long term inhalation
of fragrances on the stress-induced
immunosuppression in mice.
Neuroimmunomodulation 5:318-322, 1998.
Hammer KA, Carson CF, Riley TV: In vitro
activity of Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) oil
against dermatophytes and other filamentous
fungi. J Antimicrob Chemother 50:195-199, 2002.
Hildebrand J, Sheferd G: Mechanism of olfactory
discrimination: Converging Evidence for
Common Principles Across Phyla Annu Rev
Neurosci 29:595-631, 1997.
Kolaczkowska ., Seljelid R, Plytycz B: Critical
role of mast cells in morphine-mediated
impairment of zymosan-induced peritonitis in
mice. Inflam Res 50:1-7, 2000.
Komori T, Fujiwara R, Tanida M, Nomura J,
Yokoyama MM: Effects of citrus fragrance on immune function and depressive states.
Neuroimmunomodulation 2:174-180, 1995.
Kovar KA, Kovar DD, Johnson I: 1,8 cineole
was detected in the blood of mice following
inhalation. Planta Med 53:315-318, 1987.
Lyte M, Nelson SG, Baissa B: Examination of
the neuroendocrine basis for the social conflictinduced
enhancement of immunity in mice,
Physiol Behav 48:685-691, 1990.
Majewski P, Markowska M, Laskowska H,
Waloch M, Skwarlo-Sonta K: Effect of
morphine on thioglycollate-induced peritonitis
in chickens. Neuroendocrinol Lett 23:87-93, 2002.
Moynihan JA, Karp JD, Cohen N, Ader R:
Immune deviation following stress odor
exposure: role of endogenous opioids.
J Neuroimmunol 102:145-153, 2000.
Moynihan JA, Karp JD, Cohen N, Cocke R:
Alterations in interleukin-4 and antibody
production following pheromone exposure: role of glucocorticoids. J Neuroimmunol
54:51-58, 1994.
Padgett DA, Glaser R: How stress influences the
immune response. Trends Immunol 24:444-448, 2003.
Peterson PK, Molitor TW, Chao CC: The
opioid-cytokine connection. J Neuroimmunol
83:63-69, 1998.
Salzet M: Neuroimmunology of opioids from
invertebrates to human. Neuroendocrinol Lett
22:467-474, 2001.
Schnitzler P, Schon K, Reichling J: Antiviral
activity of Australian tea tree oil and
eucalyptus oil against herpes simplex virus in
cell culture. Pharmazie 56:343-347, 2001.
Shnaubelt K: Suppression of development of virus
of influenza (Myxovirus the influenzae) under
the inhalation of the TTO. Int J Aromather
1:32, 1989.
Skopinska-Rozewska E et al.: Antimicrobial and
immunotropic action of essential oils. In:
Xenobiotics influence on the immune system (in Polish). IRS, Olsztyn, Poland, 127-136, 1997.
Tisserand R: Essential oils as psychotherapeutic
agents. In: Van Toller S, Dodd GH:
Perfumery: The Physiology and Biology of
Fragrance. London, England: Chapman & Hall,
167-185, 1991.
Umezu T: Pharmacological effects of plant-derived
essential oils on the Central Nervous System.
Aroma Research 3:376-382, 2002.
Van Pelt LJ et al.: Limitation on the use of
dihydrorhodamine 123 for flow cytometric
analysis of the neutrophil respiratory burst. J
Immunol Methods 191:187-196, 1996.
Wood PG, Karol MH, Kusnecov AW, Rabin
BS: Enhancement of antigen-specific humoral
and cell-mediated immunity by electric
footshock stress in rats. Brain Behav Immun
7:121-134, 1993.
|
CITED
Vimal M, Vijaya PP, Mumtaj P, Seema Farhath MS. Antibacterial activity of selected compounds of essential oils from indigenous plants. J Chem Pharm Res. 5: 248-253, 2013.
Astani A Reichling J Schnitzler P. Screening for Antiviral Activities of Isolated Compounds from Essential Oils. Evid-Based Compl Alter Med. 1-8, 2011.
Schnitzler P, Astani A, Reichling J. Screening for antiviral activities of isolated compounds from essential oils. Evid-Based Compl Alter Med. 253643, 2011.
Golab M, Skwarlo-Sonta K. Mechanisms involved in the anti-inflammatory action of inhaled tea tree oil in mice. Exp Biol Med. 232: 420-426, 2007.
|
