Modulatory effects of a nutraceutical supplement on Saos-2 cells reveal its phlebotonic activity

Objective: Herbal extract compositions are largely used to manage vein diseases. We prepared a new composition of herbs, named FLEBO OKTM, that, when administered as a nutraceutical to patients affected by peripheral vascular diseases, was able to improve their health conditions. We analyzed the effects of this nutraceutical composition on in vitro cultured cells with the aim to obtain information about its mechanisms of action. Methods: A culture of human osteoblast cell line Saos-2 was stimulated with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-a or interleukin (IL)-1b to induce the expression of some chemokines and matrix metalloproteases (MMPs). This cell culture was then exposed to the prepared composition and the amount of expression of the genes coding for the monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1, IL-8, IL-1b, MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-9 proteins was measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The experiments were repeated exposing the cells to the same amount of the well-known micronized purified flavonoid fraction. Moreover, we describe the effects of the administration of nutraceutical composition to 20 patients affected by peripheral vascular diseases and 20 healthy individuals. Results: The RT-PCR analyses showed that the new composition induces the expression of MMP-3 and MMP-9 and downregulates MMP-2 in cell cultures stimulated with IL-1b, whereas it induces the expression of IL-8 and represses the expression of IL-1b and MCP-1 in cell cultures stimulated with TNF-a. The induction of the expression of MMP-3 and the downregulation of MCP-1 might result in an antiplatelet activity that was not observed for the micronized purified flavonoid fraction. Interviewed patients reported an improvement in their conditions after 1 month of FLEBO OK treatment. Conclusion: These findings could provide a hypothesis for the high efficiency of the identified nutraceutical composition to management of peripheral vascular diseases.