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. 2020 Sep 7;17(18):6506. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17186506

Table 5.

Preclinical evidence of limonene biological activity.

Functional Response Model Molecules/Mechanisms Involved in Targeted Pathways Ref.
Anti-inflammatory
Antioxidant
Murine raw 264.7 cell line TNF-α, IL-1, IL-6 [119]
Human chondrocytes NF-kB, NO, iNOS, p38, JNK [70]
Human lens epithelial cells ROS, CASP, MAPK, Bcl-2/Bax [120]
Human neuroblastoma cells LC3, clonogenic capacity [121]
Fruit fly NO [84]
BALB/c mice NO [122]
BALB/c mice Catalase, peroxidase [123]
BALB/c mice IL-5, IL-13, MCP-1, TGF-β [124]
BALB/c mice NF-kB, p38, JNK, ERK [125]
Wistar rats NF-kB, COX-2, iNOS [126]
Swiss mice IL-1β [127]
Sprague–Dawley rats COX2, ERK, iNOS, MMP-2, MMP-9, PGE, TGF-β [128]
BALB/c mice Apoptosis-related genes [129]
Swiss mice Oxidative stress [130]
Anxiolytic
Antidepressant
Sedative
ICR mice Elevated plus maze test [90]
Mice Sleeping time [88]
Swiss mice MBT assay, anxiolytic effect [131]
Rats Locomotion, dopamine level [132]
Rats Immobility in forced swim test [133]
CUMS mice Body weight, sucrose preference, mobility [134]
Mus musculus albino mice Elevated Plus Maze (EPM) test [135]
Analgesic Swiss mice Induced nociception [136]
ICR mice Writhing test [90]
Rats Mechanical hyperalgesia [133]
Swiss mice Writhing test [127]
Swiss mice Mechanical hyperalgesia, IL-1β, TNF-α [137]

Abbreviations: CASP, caspase; COX-2, cyclooxygenase-2; ERK, extracellular signal-regulated kinase; ICR, imprinted control region; IL, interleukin; iNOS, inducible NO synthase; JNK, c-jun N-terminal kinase; LC3, microtubule-associated protein light chain 3; MAPK, mitogen-activated protein kinase; MBT, marble burying test; MCP, monocyte chemoattractant protein; NF-kB, nuclear factor-B; NO, nitric oxide; p38, protein 38; PGE, prostaglandin E; ROS, reactive oxygen species; TGF, tumor growth factor; TNF, tumor necrosis factor.