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Antiinflammatory Activity of Cinnamon ( Cinnamomum zeylanicum ) Bark Essential Oil in a Human Skin Disease Model: Antiinflammatory Activity of Cinnamon Bark Essential Oil

April 2017
Phytotherapy Research 31(7)

DOI:10.1002/ptr.5822

License
CC BY 4.0

Authors:

Lawry Han

4Life Research

Tory L Parker

4Life Research

The effect of cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) bark essential oil (CBEO) on human skin cells has not been elucidated. Therefore, we investigated the activity of a commercially available CBEO in a validated human dermal fibroblast system, a model of chronic inflammation and fibrosis. We first evaluated the impact of CBEO on 17 protein biomarkers that play critical roles in inflammation and tissue remodeling. The impact of CBEO on genome-wide gene expression was also evaluated. CBEO showed strong anti-proliferative effects on skin cells and significantly inhibited the production of several inflammatory biomarkers, including vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, interferon gamma-induced protein 10, interferon-inducible T-cell alpha chemoattractant, and monokine induced by gamma interferon. In addition, CBEO significantly inhibited the production of several tissue remodeling molecules, including epidermal growth factor receptor, matrix metalloproteinase-1, and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1. Macrophage colony-stimulating factor, which is an immunomodulatory protein molecule, was also significantly inhibited by CBEO. Furthermore, CBEO significantly modulated global gene expression and altered signaling pathways, many of which are important in inflammation, tissue remodeling, and cancer biology. The study shows that CBEO is a promising antiinflammatory agent; however, further research is required to clarify its clinical efficacy. © 2017 The Authors. Phytotherapy Research published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The bioactivity profile of cinnamon bark essential oil (0.0012% v/v) in the human dermal fibroblast system HDF3CGF. The x-axis denotes protein-based biomarker readouts. The y-axis denotes the relative expression levels of biomarkers when compared with the values for the vehicle control in log form. Vehicle control values are marked in gray at a 95% confidence level. * indicates a biomarker designated as having 'key activity', which is when a biomarker value is significantly different (p < 0.01) from the respective value for the vehicle control at a studied concentration, with an effect size of at least 20% (more than 0.1 log ratio units). MCP-1, monocyte chemoattractant protein; VCAM1, vascular cell adhesion molecule 1; ICAM-1, intracellular cell adhesion molecule 1; IP-10, interferon gamma-induced protein 10; I-TAC, interferon-inducible T-cell alpha chemoattractant; IL-8, interleukin-8; MIG, the monokine induced by gamma interferon; EGFR, epidermal growth factor receptor; M-CSF, macrophage colony-stimulating factor; MMP-1, matrix metalloproteinase 1; PAI-1, plasminogen activator inhibitor 1; TIMP, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase.

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Antiinflammatory Activity of Cinnamon

(Cinnamomum zeylanicum) Bark Essential Oil in

a Human Skin Disease Model

Xuesheng Han*and Tory L. Parker

dōTERRA International, LLC, 389 S. 1300 W, Pleasant Grove, UT 84062, USA

The effect of cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) bark essential oil (CBEO) on human skin cells has not been

elucidated. Therefore, we investigated the activity of a commercially available CBEO in a validated human

dermal fibroblast system, a model of chronic inflammation and fibrosis. We first evaluated the impact of CBEO

on 17 protein biomarkers that play critical roles in inflammation and tissue remodeling. The impact of CBEO on

genome-wide gene expression was also evaluated. CBEO showed strong anti-proliferative effects on skin cells

and significantly inhibited the production of several inflammatory biomarkers, including vascular cell adhesion

molecule-1, intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, interferon gamma-

induced protein 10, interferon-inducible T-cell alpha chemoattractant, and monokine induced by gamma

interferon. In addition, CBEO significantly inhibited the production of several tissue remodeling molecules,

including epidermal growth factor receptor, matrix metalloproteinase-1, and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1.

Macrophage colony-stimulating factor, which is an immunomodulatory protein molecule, was also significantly

inhibited by CBEO. Furthermore, CBEO significantly modulated global gene expression and altered signaling

pathways, many of which are important in inflammation, tissue remodeling, and cancer biology. The study shows

that CBEO is a promising antiinflammatory agent; however, further research is required to clarify its clinical

Keywords: cinnamon bark essential oil; cell proliferation; inflammation; VCAM-1; MIG; genome-wide gene expression.

INTRODUCTION

Cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) bark essential

oil (CBEO) has been used for thousands of years in

Ayurvedic medicine to soothe aching joints and numb

pain. It is still used for similar purposes in India,

presumably because of its antiinflammatory property.

CBEO typically contains a very high amount of

cinnamaldehyde and a small amount of eugenol, among

many other aromatic compounds. CBEO and

cinnamaldehyde have been studied for their

antibacterial (Bardají et al., 2016), antifungal

(Ranasinghe et al., 2002), anti-diabetic (Anderson

et al., 2013; Sartorius et al., 2014), antiinflammatory

(Mendes et al., 2016; Chen et al., 2016), and anticancer

(Yang et al., 2015) activities, among others.

Furthermore, CBEO has gained popularity for use in

skin care products; however, research on its effects on

human skin is largely scarce. A recent study (Uchi

et al., 2017) conducted on human keratinocytes

demonstrated the antioxidant effect of cinnamaldehyde,

as well as its potential for treating skin disorders.

Therefore, we aimed to investigate the biological

activity of a commercially available CBEO in a human

dermal fibroblast system, which was designed to mimic

chronic inflammation and fibrosis. We first evaluated

the impact of CBEO on 17 protein molecules that are

relevant to the processes of inflammation, immune

response, and tissue remodeling. We also studied the

effects of CBEO on genome-wide gene expression.

The study provides important evidence of the biological

activity of CBEO in a human skin disease model.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

All experiments were conducted in a Biologically

Multiplexed Activity Profiling system HDF3CGF, a cell

culture of human dermal fibroblasts that is designed to

model chronic inflammation and fibrosis in a robust and

reproducible way. The system consists of three

components: a cell type, stimuli to create the disease

environment, and set of biomarker (protein) readouts to

examine how treatments affect that disease environment

(Berg et al., 2010). The methodologies used in this study

were essentially the same as those previously described

(Han and Parker, 2017a, 2017b; Han et al., 2017).

Reagents. Cinnamon bark essential oil (dōTERRA

International LLC, Pleasant Grove, UT, USA) was

diluted in DMSO to 8X the specified concentrations

[final DMSO concentration in culture media was no

more than 0.1% (v/v)]; 25 μL of each 8X solution was

added to the cell culture to a final volume of 200 μL.

DMSO [0.1% (v/v)] served as the vehicle control. Gas

* Correspondence to: Xuesheng Han, dōTERRA International, LLC, 389

S. 1300 W. Pleasant Grove, UT 84062, USA.

E-mail: lhan@doterra.com; lawry.han@gmail.com

Contract/grant sponsor: dōTERRA International.

This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium,

provided the original work is properly cited.

PHYTOTHERAPY RESEARCH

Phytother. Res. (2017)

Published online in Wiley Online Library

(wileyonlinelibrary.com) DOI: 10.1002/ptr.5822

Received 18 January 2017

Revised 31 March 2017

Accepted 03 April 2017

chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis of CBEO

indicated that its major chemical constitutes (i.e.,

>5%) were trans-cinnamaldehyde (59%) and cinnamyl

acetate (15%). The original gas chromatography–mass

spectrometry chromatogram is shown in Fig. S1, and a

list of all chemical constitutes found in CBEO is

provided in Table S1.

Cell cultures. Primary human neonatal fibroblasts were

obtained as previously described (Bergamini et al.,

2012) and were plated under low serum conditions

(0.125% fetal bovine serum) for 24 h. Then, the cell

culture was stimulated with a mixture of interleukin-

1β, tumor necrosis factor-α, interferon-γ, basic fibroblast

growth factor, epidermal growth factor, and platelet-

derived growth factor, for another 24 h. The cell culture

and stimulation conditions for the HDF3CGF assays

have been described in detail elsewhere and were

performed in a 96-well format (R Development Core

Team, 2011; Bergamini et al., 2012).

Protein-based readouts. An enzyme-linked

immunosorbent assay was used to measure the biomarker

levels of cell-associated and cell membrane targets.

Soluble factors from supernatants were quantified using

homogeneous time-resolved fluorescence detection,

bead-based multiplex immunoassay, or captured

enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Overt adverse

effects of the test agents on cell proliferation and viability

(cytotoxicity) were measured using SRB assay. For

proliferation assays, cells were cultured and then assayed

after 72 h, which was optimized for the HDF3CGF

system. Detailed information has been described

elsewhere (Bergamini et al., 2012). Measurements were

performed in triplicate wells, and a glossary of the

biomarkers used in this study is provided in Table S2.

Quantitative biomarker data are presented as the

mean log

relative expression level (compared with

the respective mean vehicle control value) ± standard

deviation of triplicate measurements. Differences in

biomarker levels between CBEO-treated and vehicle-

treated cultures were tested for significance with the

unpaired Student’st-test. A p-value <0.01, outside of

the significance envelope, with an effect size of at least

20% (more than 0.1 log

ratio units), was considered

statistically significant.

RNA isolation. Total RNA was isolated from cell lysates

using the Zymo Quick-RNA MiniPrep kit (Zymo

Research Corporation, Irvine, CA, USA), according to

manufacturer’s instructions. RNA concentration was

determined using NanoDrop ND-2000 (Thermo Fisher

Scientific, Waltham, MA, USA). RNA quality was

assessed with a Bioanalyzer 2100 (Agilent Technologies,

Santa Clara, CA, USA) and an Agilent RNA 6000 Nano

Kit. All samples had an A260/A280 ratio between 1.9 and

2.1, and an RNA integrity number score greater than 8.0.

Microarray analysis for genome-wide gene expression.

A 0.0012% (v/v) concentration of CBEO was tested

for its effect on expression of 21,224 genes in the

HDF3CGF system after 24 h treatment. Samples for

microarray analysis were processed by Asuragen, Inc.

(Austin, TX, USA), according to the company’s

standard operating procedures. Biotin-labeled cRNA

was prepared from 200 ng of total RNA with an Illumina

TotalPrep RNA Amplification kit (Thermo Fisher

Scientific) and one round of amplification. The cRNA

yields were quantified via UV spectroscopy, and the

distribution of transcript sizes was assessed using the

Agilent Bioanalyzer 2100. Labeled cRNA (750 ng) was

used to probe Illumina Human HT-12 v4 Expression

BeadChips (Illumina, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA).

Hybridizing, washing, staining with streptavidin-

conjugated Cyanine-3, and scanning of the Illumina

arrays was performed according to the manufacturer’s

instructions. Illumina BeadScan software was used to

produce the data files for each array; raw data were

extracted using Illumina BeadStudio software.

Raw data were uploaded into R (R Development

Core Team, 2011) and analyzed for quality-control

metrics using the beadarray package (Dunning et al.,

2007). Data were normalized using quantile

normalization (Bolstad et al., 2003), then re-annotated

and filtered to remove probes that were non-specific

or mapped to intronic or intragenic regions (Barbosa-

Morais et al., 2010). The remaining probe sets comprised

the data set for the remainder of the analysis. Fold-

change expression for each value was calculated as the

log

ratio of CBEO to vehicle control. These fold-

change values were uploaded to Ingenuity Pathway

Analysis (IPA, Qiagen, Redwood City, CA, www.

qiagen.com/ingenuity) to generate the network and

pathway analyses.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Bioactivity profile of CBEO in pre-inflamed human

dermal fibroblasts

We analyzed CBEO’s biological activity in a dermal

fibroblast cell system, HDF3CGF, which mimics the

disease microenvironment of inflamed human skin cells

with already stimulated immune responses. Four different

concentrations (0.011, 0.0037, 0.0012, and 0.00041% v/v,

using DMSO as solvent) of CBEO were initially studied

for their effects on cell viability. The two high

concentrations were overtly cytotoxic; thus, only the

0.0012% v/vpreparation, which contained the highest

concentration of CBEO that was non-cytotoxic, was used

in further analyses. Key activities of biomarkers were

indicated when biomarker values for test samples were

significantly different (p<0.01) from the respective

values for the vehicle controls, with an effect size of at

least 20% (more than 0.1 log ratio units) (Fig. 1).

Cinnamon bark essential oil inhibited all the 17

biomarkers that were studied. It showed a significant

anti-proliferative activity against the dermal fibroblast

cells. CBEO also significantly inhibited the production

of inflammatory cytokines such as monocyte

chemoattractant protein-1, interferon gamma-induced

protein 10, interferon-inducible T-cell alpha

chemoattractant, and monokine induced by gamma

interferon (MIG). Furthermore, CBEO significantly

inhibited the production of vascular cell adhesion

X. HAN AND T.L. PARKER

molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and intercellular cell adhesion

molecule-1. The levels of several tissue remodeling

molecules, including epidermal growth factor receptor

(EGFR), matrix metalloproteinase 1, and plasminogen

activator inhibitor-1, were significantly decreased by

CBEO. CBEO also significantly reduced the levels of

macrophage colony-stimulating factor, which is an

immunomodulatory protein. The strong inhibitory effect

of CBEO on the increased production of these biomarkers

indicates that it may have an antiinflammatory property

and, therefore, promote wound healing.

Previous studies have indicated that CBEO and its

major active component cinnamaldehyde may have

promising antiinflammatory properties (Tung et al.,

2008; Wang et al., 2015). Chen et al. (2016)

demonstrated using an animal model that trans-

cinnamaldehyde suppresses lipopolysaccharide-induced

inflammation (Chen et al., 2016). Another study has

similarly reported on the antiinflammatory activity of

cinnamaldehyde (Mendes et al., 2016). The observed

strong antiinflammatory effect of CBEO in the human

skin disease model suggests that CBEO may be used

for treating inflammatory skin conditions.

In addition, the inhibitory effect of CBEO on the

production of tissue remodeling biomarkers in the

highly inflamed skin model suggests that CBEO and

cinnamaldehyde may be beneficial for wound healing.

This might be, at least, partially attributed to their

antiinflammatory and antimicrobial properties (Ghosh

et al., 2013; Wang et al., 2015).

Effects of CBEO on genome-wide gene expression

To further explore the biological activities of CBEO on

human skin cells, we studied the effect of the highest

concentration of CBEO that was not cytotoxic to the

cells (0.0012% v/v) on the RNA expression of 21,224

genes in the HDF3CGF system. The results showed a

significant, strong, and diverse effect of CBEO on the

regulation of the genes. Of the 200 genes that were

highly regulated by CBEO [log

(expression fold-

change ratio relative to vehicle control) ≥|1.5|], 148

genes were significantly downregulated, whereas 52

genes were significantly downregulated (Table S3). A

cross comparison of protein and gene expression data

showed that CBEO significantly inhibited the protein

and gene expression levels of MIG and VCAM-1.

The IPA showed that the bioactivity of CBEO

significantly overlapped with many canonical signaling

pathways from literature-validated databases (Fig. 2).

Some of these top signaling pathways (Table S4–S7),

such as the hepatic fibrosis activation pathway and the

antigen presentation pathway, are critically involved in

inflammation and tissue remodeling. Interestingly, many

pathways that play critical roles in cell cycle regulation,

cancer biology, and DNA damage response were also

on the list. The overall inhibitory effect of CBEO on

the genes studied and the signaling pathways is not only

consistent with its antiinflammatory and immune

modulating potential; however, it also suggests that

CBEO may play a role in modulating cell cycle

regulation and cancer signaling.

Cinnamon essential oil has been reported to show a

significant anticancer activity against head and neck

squamous cell carcinoma via the suppression of EGFR

tyrosine kinase (Yang et al., 2015). The EGFR tyrosine

kinase signaling pathway is important for the growth,

survival, proliferation, and differentiation of cells (Oda

et al., 2005). Cinnamaldehyde has also been reported to

be a potential anticancer drug (Hong et al., 2016),

primarily due to its anti-mutagenic, anti-tumorigenic,

anti-proliferative, and pro-apoptotic properties in cancer

cell lines. The findings of our study are largely consistent

with the anticancer properties of CBEO.

The current study has limitations. The in vitro study

results cannot be directly extrapolated to more complex

human skin systems. Moreover, the impact of CBEO on

human global gene expression was measured over a

short period. Therefore, how CBEO affects long-term

Figure 1. The bioactivity profile of cinnamon bark essential oil (0.0012% v/v) in the human dermal fibroblast system HDF3CGF. The x-axis

denotes protein-based biomarker readouts. The y-axis denotes the relative expression levels of biomarkers when compared with the values

for the vehicle control in log form. Vehicle control values are marked in gray at a 95% confidence level. * indicates a biomarker designated as

having ‘key activity’, which is when a biomarker value is significantly different (p<0.01) from the respective value for the vehicle control at a

studied concentration, with an effect size of at least 20% (more than 0.1 log ratio units). MCP-1, monocyte chemoattractant protein; VCAM-

1, vascular cell adhesion molecule 1; ICAM-1, intracellular cell adhesion molecule 1; IP-10, interferon gamma-induced protein 10; I-TAC,

interferon-inducible T-cell alpha chemoattractant; IL-8, interleukin-8; MIG, the monokine induced by gamma interferon; EGFR, epidermal

growth factor receptor; M-CSF, macrophage colony-stimulating factor; MMP-1, matrix metalloproteinase 1; PAI-1, plasminogen activator

inhibitor 1; TIMP, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase.

ANTIINFLAMMATORY ACTIVITY OF CINNAMON BARK ESSENTIAL OIL

gene expression remains elusive. Nevertheless, the data

from the current study provide important evidence of

the biological activities of CBEO in human skin cells

and suggest that CBEO is a promising antiinflammatory

agent.

CONCLUSIONS

To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate

the biological activity of CBEO in a human skin disease

model. We found that CBEO significantly inhibited the

production of several protein biomarkers that are

involved in inflammation and tissue remodeling.

Moreover, CBEO showed significant anti-proliferative

activity against the skin cells used in the study.

Genome-wide gene expression analysis demonstrated

that CBEO significantly modulated global gene

expression and some signaling pathways. It was noted

that many of the genes and signaling pathways affected

by CBEO play critical roles in inflammation, immune

response, cancer biology, and DNA damage response.

The overall inhibitory effect of CBEO suggests its

potential in regulating the abovementioned biological

processes. However, further research is needed to

evaluate the mechanism of action of CBEO, as well as

its clinical efficacy and safety.

Acknowledgements

The study was funded by dōTERRA (Pleasant Grove, UT, USA) and

conducted at DiscoverX (Fremont, CA, USA).

Conflict of Interest

X.H. and T.P. are employees of dōTERRA, the manufacturer of the

CBEO used in the study.

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SUPPORTING INFORMATION

Additional Supporting Information may be found

online in the supporting information tab for this article.

ANTIINFLAMMATORY ACTIVITY OF CINNAMON BARK ESSENTIAL OIL

Supplementary Material

Data

July 2017

Lawry Han · Tory L Parker

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Full-text available

Jan 2023

Nanobiotechnology has been an encouraging approach to improving the efficacy of hydrophobic bioactive compounds. The biologically active constituents present in herbal extracts are poorly absorbed, resulting in loss of bioavailability and efficacy. Hence, herbal medicine and nanotechnology are combined to overcome these limitations. The surface-to-volume ratio of nanoparticles is high and as the size is small, the functional properties are enhanced. The present study reports the synthesis of cinnamon and cumin (Ci–Cu) dual drug-loaded poly (D, L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs) to overcome the limitations of oral bioavailability and extend the effect of these drugs for alleviating health problems. The solvent evaporation method was adopted for the synthesis, and the as-prepared nanoparticles were characterized by Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The average size of the formed spherical Ci-Cu nanoparticles ranged between 90 and 120 nm. The encapsulation efficiency of the drug was found to be 79% ± 4.5%. XRD analysis demonstrated that cinnamon and cumin were amorphously scattered in the PLGA matrix. The FTIR bands showed no evident changes suggesting the no direct molecular interactions between the drug and the polymer. At pH 6.9, the release studies in vitro exhibited a burst initially followed by a tendency to obtain a slower steady release. The results indicated that the Cu-Ci dual drug-loaded polymeric NPs has drug release at a slower rate. The time taken for 25% release of drug in Ci-Cu-loaded PLGA NPs was twice as compared to cumin-loaded PLGA Nps, and three times compared to cinnamon-loaded PLGA NPs.

Essential oils and extracts of commonly used medicinal plants to fight against emerging and re- emerging infectious diseases including COVID-19

Article

Jan 2023

Introduction: In recent years, many infectious diseases are emerging as a pandemic. COVID-19 is one of the major challenges for mankind at present. The third wave of SARS-CoV-2 outbreak has already started hitting the world and new variants has also started spreading. At present, patients with severe COVID-19 are treated with antiviral drugs for controlling viral infection and supportive treatment with anti-inflammatory and antibacterial drugs to control hyper inflammatory response and secondary infection respectively. Antioxidant drugs are also gaining importance in COVID-19 patient's supportive care. Many herbal preparations are known and have been proven for their health benefits such as immune-modulatory, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and Antioxidant roles. Methods: Four herbal plants of household use were selected for the study namely garlic, cloves, cinnamon and eucalypts. Research data was collected for all the plants for their immune-modulatory, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and Antioxidant roles and presented comprehensively in the preparation of this manuscript. Results: Essential oils and extracts of medicinal plants such as garlic, cloves, cinnamon and eucalypts have all those characteristics required to prevent as well as control infection and supportive care which is important in the fight against COVID-19. Discussion: There is relevance in the treatment strategy for COVID-19 and medicinal properties of plant extracts which make these medicinal plants as a potential alternative to pharmacological agents for immunity boost up, treatment and management of viral pandemics including COVID-19 outbreak.

NCPEX 2022 proceedings Final publication

Conference Paper

Full-text available

Sep 2022

Nanotechnology includes the designing of utilitarian frameworks at nanoscale, along these lines being alluring for disciplines going from materials science to biomedicine. Perhaps the most dynamic examination spaces of the nanotechnology are Nano medicine, which applies nanotechnology to profoundly explicit clinical mediations for counteraction, analysis, and therapy of illnesses, including disease illness. In the course of recent many years, the fast advancements in nanotechnology have permitted the consolidation of various helpful, detecting, and focusing on specialists into nanoparticles, for recognition, avoidance, and therapy of malignancy infections. Nanoparticles offer numerous benefits as medication transporter frameworks since they can work on the solvency of inadequately water-dissolvable drugs, alter pharmacokinetics, increment drug half-life by lessening immunogenicity, further develop bioavailability, and decrease drug digestion. skin drug conveyance in the therapy of skin disease. Specifically, the advancement in the treatment with Nano carriers of basal cell carcinoma, Squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma has been accounted for Present review focuses on examine the new advances in the utilization of various sorts of nanoparticles for fundamental also, methodology utilization for nanoparticles, applications, benefits of nanoparticles, marketed formulation of nanoparticles, future opportunities and difficulties, conclusion, reference.

Cinnamon essential oil

Chapter

Feb 2023

Herbs and spices are being used by various food and nonfood industries due to their antimicrobial nature against pathogenic bacteria. Plants, unlike chemical preservatives, act as a natural source of antimicrobial substance and are historically being employed for treating a myriad of infectious diseases. Increasing demand for preservative-free foods, medicines, and cosmetics has led the researchers to think for better and natural alternatives. Cinnamon essential oil (EO) can be extracted from cinnamon through various techniques including distillation, solvent extraction, and supercritical fluid extraction. The antimicrobial activity of cinnamon essential oil is due to its components including cinnamaldehyde, cinnamic acid, eugenol, and linalool. Cinnamon essential oil finds wide applications in food industries particularly meat and dairy industry. Also, cinnamon essential oil is used by the pharmacological industries as it acts as a potential antiinflammatory, antidiabetic, antioxidant, and anticancer agent.

Therapeutic potential of cinnamon oil from Indonesia: Nanotechnology-essential oil

Conference Paper

Sep 2021

Indonesia is one of the biggest producers of cinnamon, supplying most of the foreign markets in the world. Indonesian widely used cinnamon as a food flavoring and spices, besides that the cinnamon bark essential oil has a huge benefit as traditional medicine since it easy to obtain and has a lower side effect. The aim of this review is to provide an up-to-date, coherent and critical analysis of both the phytochemical profiles and the pharmacologic features of cinnamon bark oil for various diseases, with particular emphasis on the fundamental mechanisms of action. The databases PubMed, Science Direct and Research Gate were used for search published studies between 2011 and 2020. Major keywords used in: Cinnamon bark oil, Benefit, Antibacterial, Antioxidant, Antidiabetic, Antiinflammation, and Cosmetic. Cinnamon bark oil contains cinnamaldehyde and eugenol as its major component and responsible for many pharmacological effects. The oil has a huge benefit for antibacterial, antidiabetic, antiinflammation, antioxidant, and also for cosmetic use. It is suggested that there are more potential benefits when cinnamon essential oil formed in nanotechnology drug delivery systems, which can increase its solubility, bioavailability, and stability. Further studies needed to obtain more results.

Revolutionizing plant-based extracts for skin care and therapeutics

Chapter

Jan 2022

Nanotechnology for the Preparation of Cosmetics Using Plant-Based Extracts

Book

Mar 2022

Arborvitae ( Thuja plicata ) essential oil significantly inhibited critical inflammation- and tissue remodeling-related proteins and genes in human dermal fibroblasts

Article

Full-text available

Jun 2017

Arborvitae (Thuja plicata) essential oil (AEO) is becoming increasingly popular in skincare, although its biological activity in human skin cells has not been investigated. Therefore, we sought to study AEO's effect on 17 important protein biomarkers that are closely related to inflammation and tissue remodeling by using a pre-inflamed human dermal fibroblast culture model. AEO significantly inhibited the expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1), intracellular cell adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), interferon gamma-induced protein 10 (IP-10), interferon-inducible T-cell chemoattractant (I-TAC), monokine induced by interferon gamma (MIG), and macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF). It also showed significant antiproliferative activity and robustly inhibited collagen-I, collagen-III, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 and 2 (TIMP-1 and TIMP-2). The inhibitory effect of AEO on increased production of these protein biomarkers suggests it has anti-inflammatory property. We then studied the effect of AEO on the genome-wide expression of 21,224 genes in the same cell culture. AEO significantly and diversely modulated global gene expression. Ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) showed that AEO robustly affected numerous critical genes and signaling pathways closely involved in inflammatory and tissue remodeling processes. The findings of this study provide the first evidence of the biological activity and beneficial action of AEO in human skin cells.

Biological activity of vetiver (Vetiveria zizanioides) essential oil in human dermal fibroblasts

Article

Full-text available

Feb 2017

Vetiver (Vetiveria zizanioides) essential oil (VEO) has a long history of use. However, research on its biological activity in human skin cells is scarce. In this study, we investigated the biological activity of VEO in a pre-inflamed human dermal fibroblast model, which was designed to mimic the disease biology of chronic inflammation and fibrosis. We analyzed the impact of VEO on the levels of 17 important protein biomarkers pertinent to immune response and tissue remodeling. VEO exhibited strong antiproliferative activity in these cells and significantly inhibited the production of collagen III, an important molecule for skin and tissue remodeling processes. We also studied the effect of VEO on regulating genome-wide gene expression. VEO robustly impacted many genes and signaling pathways that are closely related to tissue remodeling and metabolism, among others. Specifically, VEO significantly impacted pathways for cholesterol synthesis and metabolism. This study provides the first evidence of the biological activity of VEO in human dermal fibroblasts. Though a definite conclusion remains elusive, the data suggest that VEO has therapeutic potential for both cosmetic and metabolic health care products. Further research into VEO’s biological and pharmacological mechanisms of action is recommended.

Biological Activities of Frankincense Essential Oil in Human Dermal Fibroblasts

Article

Full-text available

Feb 2017

Although frankincense essential oil (FREO¹) has become increasingly popular in skin care, research on its biological activities in human skin cells is scarce, if not completely absent. In the current study, we explored the biological activities of FREO in pre-inflamed human dermal fibroblasts by analyzing the levels of 17 important protein biomarkers pertinent to inflammation and tissue remodeling. FREO exhibited robust anti-proliferative activity in these skin cells. It also significantly inhibited collagen III, interferon gamma-induced protein 10, and intracellular cell adhesion molecule 1. We also studied its effect in regulating genome-wide gene expression. FREO robustly modulated global gene expression. Furthermore, Ingenuity® Pathway Analysis showed that FREO affected many important signaling pathways that are closely related to inflammation, immune response, and tissue remodeling. This study provides the first evidence of the biological activities of FREO in human dermal fibroblasts. Consistent with existing studies in other models, the current study suggests that FREO possesses promising potential to modulate the biological processes of inflammation and tissue remodeling in human skin.

Trans-Cinnamaldehyde, An Essential Oil in Cinnamon Powder, Ameliorates Cerebral Ischemia-Induced Brain Injury via Inhibition of Neuroinflammation Through Attenuation of iNOS, COX-2 Expression and NFκ-B Signaling Pathway

Article

Full-text available

Sep 2016

Trans-cinnamaldehyde (TCA), an essential oil in cinnamon powder, may have beneficial effects as a treatment for stroke which is the second leading cause of death worldwide. Post-ischemic inflammation induces neuronal cell damage after stroke, and activation of microglia, in particular, has been thought as the main contributor of proinflammatory and neurotoxic factors. The purpose of this study was to investigate the neuroprotective effects of TCA in an animal model of ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)-induced brain injury and the neuroprotective mechanism was verified in LPS-induced inflammation of BV-2 microglial cells. Our results showed that TCA (10-30 mg/kg, p.o.) significantly reduced the infarction area, neurological deficit score and decreased iNOS and COX-2 protein expression level in I/R-induced injury brain tissue. It inhibited 0.5 µg/ml LPS-induced NO production in BV-2 microglial cells without affecting cell viability, reduced protein expression of iNOS and COX-2, and attenuated inhibition of p53 protein. TCA also suppressed the effects of LPS-induced nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 and p50 and increased cytosolic IκBα. It also reduced LPS-induced mRNA expression of iNOS, COX-2, and TNFα. We concluded that TCA has a potential neuroprotective effect to against the ischemic stroke, which may be via the inhibition of neuroinflammation through attenuating iNOS, COX-2 expression and NF-κB signaling pathway.

Inhibition of aryl hydrocarbon receptor signaling and induction of NRF2-mediated antioxidant activity by cinnamaldehyde in human keratinocytes

Article

Oct 2016

Background: Dioxins and other environmental pollutants are toxic and remain in biological tissues for a long time leading to various levels of oxidative stress. Although the toxicity of these agents has been linked to activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR), no effective treatment has been developed. Objective: To explore novel phytochemicals that inhibit AHR activation in keratinocytes. Methods: Keratinocytes were used in this study because the skin is one of the organs most affected by dioxin and other environmental pollutants. HaCaT cells, which are a human keratinocyte cell line, and normal human epidermal keratinocytes were stimulated with benzo[a]pyrene to induce AHR activation, and the effects of traditional Japanese Kampo herbal formulae were analyzed. Quantification of mRNA, western blotting, immunofluorescence localization of molecules, siRNA silencing, and visualization of oxidative stress were performed. Results: Cinnamomum cassia extract and its major constituent cinnamaldehyde significantly inhibited the activation of AHR. Cinnamaldehyde also activated the NRF2/HO1 pathway and significantly alleviated the production of reactive oxygen species in keratinocytes. The inhibition of AHR signaling and the activation of antioxidant activity by cinnamaldehyde operated in a mutually independent manner as assessed by siRNA methods In addition, AHR signaling was effectively inhibited by traditional Kampo formulae containing C. cassia. Conclusion: Cinnamaldehyde has two independent biological activities; namely, an inhibitory action on AHR activation and an antioxidant effect mediated by NRF2/HO1 signaling. Through these dual functions, cinnamaldehyde may be beneficial for the treatment of disorders related to oxidative stress such as dioxin intoxication, acne, and vitiligo.

Cinnamaldehyde modulates LPS-induced systemic inflammatory response syndrome through TRPA1-dependent and independent mechanisms

Article

Feb 2016
INT IMMUNOPHARMACOL

Cinnamaldehyde is a natural essential oil suggested to possess anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties; and to activate transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) channels expressed on neuronal and non-neuronal cells. Here, we investigated the immunomodulatory effects of cinnamaldehyde in an in vivo model of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) induced by lipopolysaccharide. Swiss mice received a single oral treatment with cinnamaldehyde 1 h before LPS injection. To investigate whether cinnamaldehyde effects are dependent on TRPA1 activation, animals were treated subcutaneously with the selective TRPA1 antagonist HC-030031 5 min prior to cinnamaldehyde administration. Vehicle-treated mice were used as controls. Cinnamaldehyde ameliorated SIRS severity in LPS-injected animals. Diminished numbers of circulating mononuclear cells and increased numbers of peritoneal mononuclear and polymorphonuclear cell numbers were also observed. Cinnamaldehyde augmented the number of peritoneal Ly6Chigh and Ly6Clow monocyte/macrophage cells in LPS-injected mice. Reduced levels of nitric oxide, plasma TNFα and plasma and peritoneal IL-10 were also detected. Additionally, IL-1β levels were increased in the same animals. TRPA1 antagonism by HC-030031 reversed the changes in the number of circulating and peritoneal leukocytes in cinnamaldehyde-treated animals, whilst increasing the levels of peritoneal IL-10 and reducing peritoneal IL-1β. Overall, cinnamaldehyde modulates SIRS through TRPA1-dependent and independent mechanisms.

Cinnamaldehydes in Cancer Chemotherapy

Article

Feb 2016
PHYTOTHER RES

Cinnamaldehyde and cinnamaldehyde-derived compounds are candidates for the development of anticancer drugs that have received extensive research attention. In this review, we summarize recent findings detailing the positive and negative aspects of cinnamaldehyde and its derivatives as potential anticancer drug candidates. Furthermore, we describe the in vivo pharmacokinetics and metabolism of cinnamaldehydes. The oxidative and antioxidative properties of cinnamaldehydes, which contribute to their potential in chemotherapy, have also been discussed. Moreover, the mechanism(s) by which cinnamaldehydes induce apoptosis in cancer cells have been explored. In addition, evidence of the regulatory effects of cinnamaldehydes on cancer cell invasion and metastasis has been described. Finally, the application of cinnamaldehydes in treating various types of cancer, including breast, prostate, and colon cancers, has been discussed in detail. The effects of cinnamaldehydes on leukemia, hepatocellular carcinoma, and oral cancer have been summarized briefly. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Essential oil of Cinnamon exerts anti-cancer activity against head and neck squamous cell carcinoma via attenuating epidermal growth factor receptor - Tyrosine kinase

Article

Feb 2016
J BUON

Purpose: Impressed by the exceptional anticancer activity of cinnamon, the present study was conducted to elucidate the anticancer potential of essential oil of Cinnamon (EOC). Methods: EOC was tested against various cell lines (FaDu, Detroit-562 and SCC-25) of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) using MTT assay. The Hep-2 cell xenograft model was used to assess the positive bio-activity of EOC. EGFR-TK inhibitory assay was also carried out to explain the possible mechanism of action of EOC. Moreover, to rationalise the key contacts responsible for attenuating EGFR, the major component of EOC, i.e., trans-cinnamaldehyde, as identified by GC-MS analysis, was subjected to molecular docking experiments with the catalytic domain of EGFR protein model. Results: EOC exhibited significant anticancer activity with percent inhibition 66.12, 87.32, and 99.34%, against FaDu, Detroit-562 and SCC-25, respectively. Moreover, EOC reduced the tumor burden to 43.5% in Hep-2 cell xenograft model along with 89% inhibition of EGFR-TK activity in the EGFR-TK inhibitory assay. Docking experiments showed that trans-cinnamaldehyde was proficiently fitted into the inner grove of the active site of EGFR by making close inter-atomic contacts with the key catalytic residues Val702, Ala719, Lys721, Leu764, Thr766 and Leu820 and with inhibition constant Ki = 775.93 μM. Conclusion: EOC exhibits significant anticancer activity against HNSCC cells in vitro. The mechanism underlying its anticancer action was attributed to the suppression of EGFR-TK. It also significantly suppressed the tumor growth in Hep-2 cell xenograft model.

Comprehensive pathway map of epidermal growth factor receptor signaling

Article

Jan 2005
MOL SYST BIOL

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling pathway is one of the most important pathways that regulate growth, survival, proliferation, and differentiation in mammalian cells. Reflecting this importance, it is one of the best-investigated signaling systems, both experimentally and computationally, and several computational models have been developed for dynamic analysis. A map of molecular interactions of the EGFR signaling system is a valuable resource for research in this area. In this paper, we present a comprehensive pathway map of EGFR signaling and other related pathways. The map reveals that the overall architecture of the pathway is a bow-tie (or hourglass) structure with several feedback loops. The map is created using CellDesigner software that enables us to graphically represent interactions using a well-defined and consistent graphical notation, and to store it in Systems Biology Markup Language (SBML).

Antibacterial activity of commercially available plant-derived essential oils against oral pathogenic bacteria

Article

Jul 2015

This work investigated the antibacterial activity of 15 commercially available plant-derived essential oils (EOs) against a panel of oral pathogens. The broth microdilution method afforded the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) of the assayed EOs. The EO obtained from Cinnamomum zeylanicum (Lauraceae) (CZ-EO) displayed moderate activity against Fusobacterium nucleatum (MIC and MBC = 125 μg/mL), Actinomyces naeslundii (MIC and MBC = 125 μg/mL), Prevotella nigrescens (MIC and MBC = 125 μg/mL) and Streptococcus mutans (MIC = 200 μg/mL; MBC = 400 μg/mL). (Z)-isosafrole (85.3%) was the main chemical component of this oil. We did not detect cinnamaldehyde, previously described as the major constituent of CZ-EO, in specimens collected in other countries.