ANDALUSOL, A DITERPENOID WITH ANTIINFLAMMATORY ACTIVITY FROM SIDERITSFOETENS CLEMEN

The anti-inflammatory activity of andalusol (ent-13(16),14-labdadiene- 6 alpha,8 alpha,18-triol), a diterpenoid obtained from the acetone ext ract of Sideritis foetens Clemen, has been investigated. This compound was able to inhibit acute inflammatory processes induced by carrageen an or 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol acetate (TPA) after oral or topical ad ministration. Quantitation of the neutrophil specific marker, myeloper oxidase (MPO), demonstrated that its topical anti-inflammatory effect was associated with reduction in neutrophil infiltration into inflamed tissues. Interaction of andalusol with leukocyte functions and histam ine release from mast cells was analyzed in vitro. At a concentration of 100 mu M andalusol decreased beta-glucuronidase release from calciu m ionophore A23187-stimulated rat peritoneal leukocytes. However, it f ailed to affect superoxide generation on TPA-stimulated leukocytes and it was non toxic to leukocytes up to 100 mu M (assayed in terms of la ctate dehydrogenase release). Andalusol produced a dose-dependent inhi bition on histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells stimulated by compound 48/80 or calcium ionophore A23187. These results suggest t hat andalusol possesses an anti-inflammatory profile, and it is in par t responsible for the anti-inflammatory activity attributed to this pl ant.