Alterations in the function of circulating mononuclear cells derived from patients with Crohn's disease treated with mastic

Abstract

Aim: To assess the effects of mastic administration on cytokine production of circulating mononuclear cells of patients with active Crohn's disease (CD).

Methods: The study was conducted in patients with established mildly to moderately active CD, attending the outpatient clinics of the hospital, and in healthy controls. Recruited to a 4 wk treatment with mastic caps (6 caps/d, 0.37 g/cap) were 10 patients and 8 controls, all of who successfully completed the protocol. Interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) and intracellular antioxidant glutathione (GSH) were evaluated in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) before and after treatment.

Results: Treating CD patients with mastic resulted in the reduction of TNF-alpha secretion (2.1 +/- 0.9 ng/mL vs 0.5 +/- 0.4 ng/mL, P = 0.028). MIF release was significantly increased (1.2 +/- 0.4 ng/mL vs 2.5 +/- 0.7 ng/mL, P = 0.026) meaning that random migration and chemotaxis of monocytes/macrophages was inhibited. No significant changes were observed in IL-6, MCP-1 and GSH concentrations.

Conclusion: This study shows that mastic acts as an immunomodulator on PBMC, acting as a TNF-alpha inhibitor and a MIF stimulator. Although further double-blind, placebo-controlled studies in a large number of patients is required to clarify the role of this natural product, this finding provides strong evidence that mastic might be an important regulator of immunity in CD.

Figures

Figure 1

Secretion of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) was decreased in PBMC derived from patients with active Crohn's disease (n = 10) after 4-wk treatment with mastic caps (aP < 0.05). Horizontal bars represent the mean ± SE.

Figure 2

Secretion of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) was increased in PBMC derived from patients with active Crohn’s disease (n = 10) after 4-wk treatment with mastic caps (aP < 0.05). Horizontal bars represent the mean ± SE.