The flowers of "Humulus lupulus," or hops, are an essential ingredient in beer, where they are used as a stabilizing and bittering agent. Hops have also been used by practitioners of herbal medicine for their sedative and antibacterial properties, and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine reports that hops contain phytoestrogens, which are compounds that mimic the effects of estrogens in your body. Now, scientists are learning about the anti-inflammatory properties of hops. Ask your doctor if hops could be beneficial for you.
Bitter Acids
The very compounds that make hops valuable to a brewmaster have captured the attention of researchers who are intrigued by the immune-modulating effects of plants. In particular, the alpha- and beta-acids from hops appear to block the release of inflammatory chemicals called cytokines from white blood cells. In 2009, scientists at Ghent University in Belgium suggested that the bitter acids from hops could be combined with pharmaceutical agents to reduce the side effects of medications used to treat inflammatory diseases.
COX Inhibition
The inflammatory processes in your body are largely regulated by enzymes called cyclooxygenases. Cyclooxygenase-1, or COX-1, and cyclooxygenase-2, or COX-2, convert fatty acids to compounds called prostanoids, many of which are responsible for causing inflammation in your tissues. The therapeutic effects of commonly prescribed anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprofen or celecoxib, are due to inhibition of COX enzymes. A study published in the February 2006 issue of "Planta Medica" showed that hops extract selectively inhibits COX-2 in a manner similar to the prescription medication celecoxib.
Liver Protection
In addition to bitter acids, hops contain chalcones and other polyphenols, which are similar to the catechins in green tea. A July 2010 study, published in "Molecular Nutrition and Food Research," demonstrated that xanthohumol, one of the primary chalcones in hops, inhibits the activity of human hepatic stellate cells -- the primary instigators of inflammation and scarring in liver disease -- and reduces inflammation in animal models of nonalcoholic steatosis, or fatty liver disease. The study's authors proposed that xanthohumol could one day prove useful in treating chronic liver diseases.
Considerations
Hops have a long history of use in beer making and in traditional herbal medicine. As reported in an October 2009 "Immunopharmacology and Immunotoxicology" review, compounds found in hops exert anti-tumor, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in animal studies and in tissue cultures of human cells. However, there is insufficient scientific evidence to support using hops to treat or prevent any medical condition. Consult with a medical professional before using hops or any herbal preparation.
References
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: NCCAM High-Priority Topics for Mechanistic Research on CAM Natural Products
- "Molecular Nutrition and Food Research"; Hop Bitter Acids Efficiently Block Inflammation of GRalpha, PPARalpha or PPARgamma; M. Van Cleemput, et al.; September 2009
- "Planta Medica"; Selective Inhibition of COX-2 by a Standardized CO2 Extract of Humulus Lupulus In Vitro and Its Activity in a Mouse Model of Zymosan-Induced Arthritis; S. Hougee, et al.; February 2006
- "Molecular Nutrition and Food Research"; Xanthohumol, a Chalcon Derived From Hops, Inhibits Hepatic Inflammation and Fibrosis; C. Dorn, et al.; July 2010
- "Immunopharmacology and Immunotoxicology"; Immunomodulatory Activity of Xanthohumol: Inhibition of T Cell Proliferation, Cell-Mediated Cytoxicity and Th1 Cytokine Production Through Suppression of NF-κB; X. Gao, et al.; October 2009
