Topical anti-inflammatory activity of eupatilin, a lipophilic flavonoid from mountain wormwood (Artemisia umbelliformis Lam.)

Eupatilin (5,7-dihydroxy-3',4',6-trimethoxyflavone) is the major lipophilic flavonoid from Artemisia umbelliformis Lam. and A. genipi Weber, two mountain wormwoods used for the production of the alpine liqueur genepy. The topical anti-inflammatory activity of eupatilin was investigated as inhibition of the Croton oil-induced ear dermatitis in mice. The oedematous response and the leukocyte infiltration were evaluated up to 48 h after the induction of phlogosis, comparing eupatilin with hydrocortisone and indomethacin as representatives of steroid and non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs, respectively. At maximum development, eupatilin significantly reduced edema in a dose-dependent way (ID50 = 0.28 µmol/cm2), showing a potency comparable to that of indomethacin (ID50 = 0.26 µmol/cm2) and only 1 order of magnitude lower than that of hydrocortisone (ID50 = 0.03 µmol/cm2). Within 48 h, eupatilin (0.3 µmol/cm2) caused a global oedema inhibition (42%) higher than that of indomethacin.