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Vinpocetine shows promise for chronic inflammation



Findings reported in article published online on May 6, 2010 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (http://www.pnas.org/) suggest that vinpocetine, a derivative of vincamine (from the periwinkle plant), could be useful for the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases such as atherosclerosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), arthritis, infectious diseases and cancer. Vinpocetine is a dietary supplement that has been used for many years to help prevent cerebrovascular disorders and memory loss, however, the compound's potential benefit in other disorders has not been explored.

Chen Yan, PhD of the University of Rochester Medical Center's Aab Cardiovascular Research Institute and colleagues report that vinpocetine acts as an anti-inflammatory agent in a mouse model of lung inflammation and in cell cultures. Vinpocetine was found to inhibit tumor necrosis factor-alpha induced nuclear factor-kappa-beta (NF-kB) activation and the subsequent induction of proinflammatory mediators in endothelial cells, epithelial cells, macrophages, and vascular smooth muscle cells. Vinpocetine works by inhibiting IKK, an enzyme that regulates inflammation by activating NF-kB. Continue Reading http://www.lef.org/newsletter/2010/0514_Vinpocetine-shows-promise-for-chronic-inflammation.htm?source=eNewsLetter2010Wk20-2&key=Article&l=0#article