Table 1.
Pharmacological interaction within the ternary combination of equal parts of myrrh, coffee charcoal and chamomile flower extract. Summary of the half-maximal inhibitory or effective concentrations (IC/EC50) and the respective combination indices for the effects on inflammatory mediator release from the THP-1 macrophages (M; IL-6, TNF, PGE2) and intestinal epithelial cells (IECs; IL-8, PGE2) and transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) after 48 h stimulation and treatment. 95%CI = 95% confidence interval, (++++) = strong synergism, (+++) = synergism, (++) = moderate synergism, (−) = slight antagonism.
| Mediator Release | Myrrh (0.1–100 µg/mL) |
Coffee Charcoal (1–500 µg/mL) |
Chamomile Flower (0.1–200 µg/mL) |
Extract Combination (0.25–150 µg/mL) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IC50 (µg/mL) (95%CI) |
IC50 (µg/mL) (95%CI) |
IC50 (µg/mL) (95%CI) |
IC50 (µg/mL) (95%CI) |
Combination Index | |
| M-IL-6 | 14 (3.3–62.3) | 152 (2.1–10905) | - | 5 (1.9–15.6) | 0.13 (++++) |
| M-TNF | 15 (5.1–44.5) | - | 98 (54.8–175.6) | 26 (13.7–49.7) | 0.67 (+++) |
| M-PGE2 | 6 (1.5–17.9) | 251 (105.2–3005) | 39 (7.9–116.4) | 17 (4.2–33.2) | 1.11 (−) |
| IEC-IL-8 | 42 (20.5–86.1) | 106 (46.1–244.9) | 268 (40.1–1790) | 59 (34.1–103.5) | 0.73 (++) |
| IEC-MCP-1 | 35 (9.9–122.5) | 293 (107.3–800.2) | - | 54 (27.1–106.7) | 0.58 (+++) |
| IEC-PGE2 | 13 (2.9–64.1) | 136 (51.8–532.0) | 51 (15.2–154.0) | 17 (4.5–39.6) | 0.59 (+++) |
| IEC barrier |
EC50 (µg/mL)
(95%CI) |
EC50 (µg/mL)
(95%CI) |
EC50 (µg/mL)
(95%CI) |
EC50 (µg/mL)
(95%CI) |
Combination Index |
| TEER | 48 (8.3–99.5) | 98 (15.2–3123) | - | 80 (35.7–102.0) | 0.83 (++) |