EFFECT OF BAKUCHIOL ON LEUKOCYTE FUNCTIONS AND SOME INFLAMMATORY RESPONSES IN MICE

The effects of bakuchiol, a meroterpenoid isolated from the leaves of Psoralea glandulosa L., on phospholipase A(2) (PLA(2)) activity from d ifferent sources, human neutrophil responses, zymosan air pouch and to pical inflammation in mice, were investigated. This natural product wa s a weak inhibitor of secretory and intracellular PLA(2) but dose-depe ndently reduced the formation of LTB(4) and TXB(2) by human neutrophil s and platelet microsomes, respectively. In addition, bakuchiol inhibi ted degranulation in human neutrophils, whereas superoxide generation was not affected. In mice, bakuchiol decreased cell migration, myelope roxidase activity and eicosanoid levels in the air pouch inflammation induced by zymosan. After topical administration, this compound was ef fective as an inhibitor of oedema and myeloperoxidase activity in the 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA)-induced ear oedema and sign ificantly reduced the PGE(2) content and ear oedema in the arachidonic acid-induced response. Bakuchiol is a natural anti-inflammatory agent able to control leukocytic functions such as eicosanoid production, m igration and degranulation in the inflammatory site.