Anti-inflammatory Activities of Ethanolic Extracts of curcuma Longa (Turmeric) and cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum)

Curcuma longa and Cinnamon are used in folkloric medicine and thought to have different pharmacological activities including anti-inflammatory effects. The objective of this work is to evaluate the in vitro inhibitory effect of Curcuma longa and Cinnamon ethanolic extracts on Lipopolysacaride (LPS)-induced Interlukin-6 (IL-6) and Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNF-α) by polymorphonuclear Cells (PMNCs). Polymorphonuclear cells were isolated from the whole blood using Histopaque (Ficol-1077) method and then cultured in an enriched Roswell Park Memorial Institute (RBMI) medium. The concentrations of TNF-α and IL-6 in the supernatant were measured after 24 h and compared using paired-samples t test. The Curcuma longa and Cinnamon extracts have shown significant reduction in the levels of both Il-6 and TNF-α. HPLC analysis of Curcuma longa extract revealed that it contains curcumin, demethoxycurcumin, and bisdemethoxycurcumin while the major compound in the extract of cinnamon was found to be cinnamic acid. Reduction in the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α upon effect of the plants” extract is an indication of their anti-inflammatory effects. The observed anti-inflammatory effect may be due to the presence of curcuminoids and cinnamic acid from Curcuma longa and Cinnamon, respectively.