Curcuma longa inhibits TNF-alpha induced expression of adhesion molecules on human umbilical vein endothelial cells

Identification of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory small molecules is very i mportant for the development of anti-inflammatory drugs. We demonstrate her e that out of three compounds, viz diferuloylmethane, p-coumaroylferuloylme thane and di-p-coumaroylmethane, present in the ethyl acetate extract of Cu rcuma longa, diferuloylmethane is most potent in inhibiting TNF-alpha induc ed expression of ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and E-selectin on human umbilical vein endo thelial cells. The inhibition by diferuloylmethane is time dependent and is reversible. By using RT-PCR, we demonstrate that it inhibits the induction of steady state transcript levels of ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and E-selectin, and th erefore it may interfere with the transcription of their genes. As diferulo ylmethane significantly blocks the cytokine induced transcript levels for t he leukocyte adhesion molecules, it may be interfering at an early stage of signalling event induced by TNF-alpha. (C) 1999 International Society for Immunopharmacology. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.