Extracts and fractions from birch bark have been used to treat various diseases, such as skin disorders and rheumatism, and for analgesic effects. Results from studies in vitro and in vivo have shown that birch bark extracts can have immunoregulatory effects. These effects have mainly been attributed to the various triterpenes found in birch bark. The effects of birch bark from Betula pubescens on immune responses have not been reported. Ethanol extract was prepared from dry birch bark (DBBEE) and five fractions made using various ratios of dichloromethane and methanol (fractions I-V). Human monocyte-derived dendritic cells (DCs) were matured with or without DBBEE or fractions I-V at several concentrations. The effects of the extract and fractions on DC maturation were determined by measuring cytokine secretion by ELISA and expression of surface molecules by flow cytometry. DBBEE and fractions III and IV reduced DC secretion of IL-6, IL-10 and IL-12p40 and expression of CD83, CD86, CCR7 and DC-SIGN compared with control DCs. Proliferation of allogeneic CD4(+) T cells co-cultured with DCs matured with fraction IV, as measured by (3)H-thymidine incorporation, was similar to proliferation of allogeneic CD4(+) T cells co-cultured with control DCs. However, IFN-γ secretion was reduced and IL-10 and IL-17 secretion was increased, a cytokine profile consistent with a Th17 regulatory phenotype. These results indicate that bark from Betula pubescens contains compound(s) that can modulate DCs so that their interaction with T cells leads to an immunoregulatory response.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.imlet.2010.12.009 | DOI Listing |
Pharmaceuticals (Basel)
December 2024
Department of Biotechnology, BIODIATECH-Proplanta Research Centre for Applied Biotechnology in Diagnosis and Molecular Therapy, 400478 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
: Pentacyclic triterpenoids, as bioactive phytochemicals, have proven to exhibit significant bioactivity (antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic, and anticancer) and low cytotoxicity. This study developed convenient methods for extracting and characterizing a birch bark extract enriched in pentacyclic triterpenoids (betulin, betulinic acid, and lupeol) and entrapped in two bioavailable nanoformulations. The performance of ATR-FTIR spectroscopy as a cost-effective and non-destructive method was evaluated comparatively with accurate HPLC-based methods.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUnlabelled: One of the principles of prevention and non-drug treatment of liver diseases, including hepatitis of various etiologies, is the normalization of the diet, including the use of daily diet foods with physiologically active ingredients, in particular betulin, which helps to reduce metabolic and oxidative processes within liver cells. The aim of the work was to evaluate the in vivo effect of triterpene alcohol betulin Roth isolated from the bark of birch Betula pendula Roth. added to fat-containing products (for example, mayonnaise) on the biochemical parameters of blood and the morphological structure of the liver of rats with initiated acute toxic hepatitis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBr J Dermatol
January 2025
The School of Translational Medicine, Monash University and Alfred Health, Melbourne VIC, Australia.
Background: Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a group of rare, severe, genetic disorders characterised by persistent skin fragility and open wounds. EB manifests as cutaneous and mucosal blistering, erosions and impaired wound healing.
Objectives: To determine the long-term efficacy, tolerability and safety of Oleogel-S10 (birch bark extract) in dystrophic (DEB) and junctional (JEB) EB in the 24-months open-label phase (OLP) of the EASE study.
Plants (Basel)
December 2024
Ethnopharmacology Laboratory, Department of Botany, Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan 731235, West Bengal, India.
This study offers considerable information on plant wealth of therapeutic importance used traditionally by the residents of 11 villages under three subdivisions of Kurseong, Darjeeling Sadar, and Mirik in the Darjeeling District, West Bengal. For the acquisition of ethnomedicinal information, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 47 informants, of whom 11 persons were herbalists and 36 were knowledgeable persons. Free prior informed consent was obtained from each participant prior to the collection of field data.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPharmaceuticals (Basel)
December 2024
Department of Biotechnology, BIODIATECH-Proplanta Research Centre for Applied Biotechnology in Diagnosis and Molecular Therapy, 400478 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
: Pentacyclic triterpenoids are increasingly studied as anticancer agents with many advantages compared to synthetic chemotherapeutics. The aim of this study was to prepare liposomal and nanostructured lipid formulations including a standardized extract of silver birch () outer bark (TTs) and to evaluate their potential as anticancer agents in vitro, using Melanoma B16-F10 and Walker carcinoma cells. : Appropriate solvents were selected for efficient TTs extraction, and original recipes were used to obtain Pegylated liposomes and nanolipid complexes with entrapped TTs, comparative to pure standards (betulinic acid and doxorubicin) in similar conditions.
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