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Cinnamaldehyde is the main mediator of cinnamon extract in mast cell inhibition

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Abstract

Purpose

In terms of their involvement in allergic and inflammatory conditions, mast cells (MC) can be promising targets for medical agents in therapy. Because of their good compliance and effectiveness, phytochemicals are of great interest as new therapeutic tools in form of nutraceuticals. We found recently that cinnamon extract (CE) inhibits mast cell activation. Here, we analysed the effects of a major compound of CE, cinnamaldehyde (CA), on mast cell activation.

Methods

Release of prestored and de novo synthesised mediators as well as expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and mast cell-specific proteases were analysed in RBL-2H3 cells or in human mast cells isolated from intestinal tissue (hiMC) treated with CA prior to stimulation by FcεRI crosslinking or IONO/PMA. The results were compared with the corresponding effects of CE.

Results

Following treatment with CA, release of β-hexosaminidase in IgE-dependent or IgE-independent activated RBL-2H3 cells was down-regulated in a dose-dependent manner to about 10 %. In hiMC, release of β-hexosaminidase was also significantly reduced, and release of LTC4 and CXCL8 was almost completely inhibited by CA. Moreover, IgE-mediated expression of CXCL8, CCL2, CCL3 and CCL4 in hiMC was significantly down-regulated by CA. With the exception of the expression of the mast cell proteases tryptase and chymase, the inhibitory effects of CA were very similar to the effects shown for CE treatment. The reducing effect of CA on mast cell mediators—seen for long- and for short-term incubations—could be related to particular signalling pathways as CA caused a down-regulation in ERK as well as PLCγ1 phosphorylation.

Conclusions

CA decreases release and expression of pro-inflammatory mast cell mediators. This inhibitory action is similar to the effects observed for CE indicating CA as the main active compound in CE leading to its anti-allergic properties.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Yvonne Soltow for excellent technical assistance.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical standard

Surgery tissue specimen from patients undergoing bowel resection served for isolation of mature human MC. This study has been approved by the local ethics committee and has therefore been performed in accordance with the ethical standards. All persons gave their informed consent prior to their inclusion in the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nutritional Medicine, University of Hohenheim, Fruwirthstraße 12, 70593, Stuttgart, Germany

    Yvonne Hagenlocher, Kristina Kießling, Stephan C. Bischoff & Axel Lorentz

  2. Department of General, Visceral, and Thorax Surgery, Marienhospital Stuttgart, Böheimstraße 37, 70199, Stuttgart, Germany

    Michael Schäffer

Authors
  1. Yvonne Hagenlocher
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  2. Kristina Kießling
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  3. Michael Schäffer
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  4. Stephan C. Bischoff
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  5. Axel Lorentz
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Correspondence to Axel Lorentz.

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Hagenlocher, Y., Kießling, K., Schäffer, M. et al. Cinnamaldehyde is the main mediator of cinnamon extract in mast cell inhibition. Eur J Nutr 54, 1297–1309 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-014-0810-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-014-0810-0

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