Study on the antiinflammatory activity of essential oil from leaves of Cinnamomum osmophloeum

The leaf essential oil from indigenous cinnamon (Cinnamomum osmophloeum Kaneh.) was investigated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and 21 compounds were identified. The major constituents of leaf essential oil were the monoterpenes 1,8-cineole (17.0%) and santolina triene (14.2%) and the sesquiterpenes spathulenol (15.7%) and caryophyllene oxide (11.2%). In the anti inflammatory activity assay, we demonstrated that the essential oil has a higher capacity to inhibit prolL-1 beta protein expression induced by LPS-treated J774A.1 murine macrophage. At dosages of 60 mu g/mL, essential oil clearly inhibited proIL-1 beta protein expression. Furthermore, a dose of 60 mu g/mL of essential oil was effectively inhibitory for IL-1 beta and IL-6 production but not for TNF-alpha, suggesting that essential oil was bioactive in anti inflammation in vitro. This study is the first to report antiinflammatory activity of extracts obtained from the leaf essential oil of C. osmophloeum.