http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3931198/
Anti-inflammatory activity
Essential oil from H. cordata was reported to exhibit anti-inflammatory activity by a mechanism of action similar to that of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). They inhibited the release of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) from mouse peritoneal macrophages (IC50 value: 44.8 μg/mL). Moreover, the inhibitory activity of H. cordata essential oil elicited a dose-dependent inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) enzyme activity (IC50 value: 30.9 μg/mL). H. cordata essential oil was also found to elicit reduction in LPS-induced COX-2 messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) and protein expression, but did not affect COX-1 expression. NSAID and specific COX-2 inhibitor NS398 functioned similarly in LPS-induced mouse peritoneal macrophages.[24]
