INHIBITORY EFFECTS OF TURKISH FOLK REMEDIES ON INFLAMMATORY CYTOKINES- INTERLEUKIN-1-ALPHA, INTERLEUKIN-1-BETA AND TUMOR-NECROSIS-FACTOR-ALPHA

In this study, in vitro inhibitory effects of 55 extracts or fractions obtained from 10 plant species on interleukin-l (IL-1 alpha, IL-1 bet a) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) biosynthesis were studied. Th e following plant materials from Turkish folk medicine for the treatme nt of various diseases which are thought to be inflammatory in nature e.g, rheumatism, fever, infections, edemas or related inflammatory dis eases were selected as the subject of this study: Cistus laurifolius l eaves, Clematis flammna flowering herbs, Crataegus orientalis roots, D aphne oleoides ssp, oleoides whole plant, Ecbalium elaterium roots, Ro sa canina roots, Rubus discolor roots, Rubus hirtus roots, Sambucus eb ulus flowers and leaves, Sambucus nigra flowers and leaves. All plants showed inhibitory activity against at least one of these models in va rious percentages depending upon the concentration, thus supporting th e folkloric utilization. Daphne oleoides was found to be the most acti ve plant against the test models. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Lt d.