Alpha-Pinene Exhibits Anti-Inflammatory Activity Through the Suppression of MAPKs and the NF-κB Pathway in Mouse Peritoneal Macrophages

In this study, we found that alpha-pinene (alpha -pinene) exhibits anti-inflammatory activity through the suppression of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B) pathway in mouse peritoneal macrophages. alpha-Pinene is found in the oils of many coniferous trees and rosemary. We investigated the inhibitory effects of alpha-Pinene on inflammatory responses induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) using mouse peritoneal macrophages. alpha-Pinene significantly decreased the LPS-induced production of interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and nitric oxide (NO).alpha-Pinene also inhibited inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expressions in LPS-stimulated macrophages. Additionally, the activations of MAPKs and NF-kappa B were attenuated by means of alpha-pinene treatment. These results indicate that alpha-pinene has an anti-inflammatory effect and that it is a potential candidate as a new drug to treat various inflammatory diseases.