Maple Syrup Compound a Potent Anti-Inflammatory Agent

Analysis of maple sap before it was converted into syrup suggested quebecol was not naturally present in the sap but, instead, was formed during extraction or processing.

Experiments conducted with cultures of immune system macrophages demonstrated that quebecol had an anti-inflammatory effect on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced NF-kappaB activation and inhibited the secretion of two pro-inflammatory cytokines, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha).

Some derivatives of quebecol were even more effective than the original molecule. "The most powerful derivative has a simpler structure and is easier to synthesize than quebecol," said senior author Dr. Normand Voyer, professor of chemistry at Université Laval. "This paves the way for a whole new class of anti-inflammatory agents, inspired by quebecol, which could compensate for the low efficacy of certain treatments while reducing the risk of side effects."

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