Journal of Dental Research, Vol 65, 53-56, Copyright © 1986 by International & American Associations for Dental Research Online Journals
Pharmacological studies on the anti-inflammatory action of phenolic compounds
Y. Azuma, N. Ozasa, Y. Ueda and N. Takagi
The mechanism of the anti-inflammatory action of phenolic compounds was
examined using neutrophil chemotaxis. Chemotactic activity of guinea pig
peritoneal neutrophils to N-formylmethionyl-leucylphenylalanine (FMLP) was
suppressed in a concentration-dependent manner. The order of drug potency
in inhibiting the neutrophil chemotaxis was eugenol much greater than
thymol greater than guaiacol much greater than phenol. The concentrations
of phenolic compounds used in these experiments did not induce lactate
dehydrogenase (LDH) release and did not affect neutrophil viability. There
was a consistent positive relation between the ID50 of superoxide anion
generation in neutrophils and the inhibitory dose for neutrophil chemotaxis
by phenolic compounds. A free phenolic hydroxyl group is essential for
scavenging oxygen free-radicals and is also essential for inhibiting
leukocyte chemotaxis, as was demonstrated in these experiments. These
findings suggest that inhibition of leukocyte chemotaxis may be involved in
the anti-inflammatory action of phenolic compounds, and that one of the
anti-inflammatory actions of phenolic compounds is the prevention of the
production of oxygen free-radicals by leukocytes.
