Essential Oils from Ugandan Medicinal Plants: In Vitro Cytotoxicity and Effects on IL-1β-Induced Proinflammatory Mediators by Human Gingival Fibroblasts

Figure 1

Effects of essential oils from Ugandan medicinal plants on IL-1β-induced IL-6, IL-8, and PGE₂ in human gingival fibroblasts. Human gingival fibroblasts were treated with IL-1β alone (300 pg/mL), essential oils at increasing subcytotoxicity concentrations, or combination of IL-1β (300 pg/mL) and essential oils. Untreated cells were used as control. IL-6 and IL-8 were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). PGE₂ was assessed by enzyme immunoassay (EIA). The data are the means ± standard deviations of triplicate assays for three independent experiments. Statistical significance was determined using one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s post hoc test. compared with the untreated control; compared with cells stimulated with 300 pg/mL IL-β alone.

(a) Bidens pilosa (B.pi)

(b) Cymbopogon nardus (C.na)

(c) Zanthoxylum chalybeum (Z.ch)

(d) Ocimum gratissimum (O.gr)