Inhibitory effect of flavonoid baicalin on degranulation of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes induced by interleukin-8: Potential role in periodontal diseases

Baicalin is a flavonoid compound purified from the medicinal plant Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi and has been reported to possess anti-inflammatory activity through its ability to complex with chemokines and thus reduces the capacity of chemokines to bind and activate their receptors. In the present study, we investigated whether baicalin could block polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) degranulation induced by interleukin (IL)-8, a CXC chemokine. Human PMNs were isolated from the peripheral blood of periodontal healthy donors and incubated with various concentrations of IL-8 (preincubated with or without baicalin). The morphology of PMNs was examined by transmission electron microscopy and extracellular concentration of granule component matrix metalloproteinase-8 (MMP-8) was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results showed that IL-8 could significantly induce MMP-8 release from PMNs when compared to control, and its inductive activity was concentration-dependent. But when preincubated with various concentrations of baicalin, the amount of MMP-8 release from PMNs decreased significantly. The present study concludes that baicalin could block MMP-8 release from PMNs induced by IL-8, which suggests that it may play an important role in the prevention and treatment of periodontal disease.