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The Pharmaceutical Society of Korea (대한약학회)
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Inhibition of COX-2 Activity and Proinflammatory Cytokines($TNF-{\alpha}{\;}and{\;}IL-1{\beta}$) Production by Water-Soluble Sub-Fractionated Parts from Bee (Apis mellifera) Venom

  • Nam, Kung-Woo (Natural Products Research Institute, Seoul National University) ;
  • Je, Kang-Hoon (Natural Products Research Institute, Seoul National University) ;
  • Lee, Jang-Hurn (Department of Veterinary Physiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and School of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University) ;
  • Han, Ho-Je (Hormone Research Center, Chonnam National University) ;
  • Lee, Hye-Jung (Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, College of Oriental Medicine, Kyung-Hee University) ;
  • Kang, Sung-Kil (Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, College of Oriental Medicine, Kyung-Hee University) ;
  • Mar, Woongchon (Natural Products Research Institute & College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University)
  • Published : 2003.05.01
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Abstract

Bee venom is used as a traditional medicine for treatment of arthritis. The anti-inflammatory activity of the n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and aqueous partitions from bee venom (Apis mellifera) was studied using cyclooxygenase (COX) activity and pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-$\alpha and IL-1\beta$) production, in vitro. COX-2 is involved in the production of prostaglandins that mediate pain and support the inflammatory process. The aqueous partition of bee venom showed strong dose-dependent inhibitory effects on COX-2 activity ($IC_{50} = 13.1 \mu$ g/mL), but did not inhibit COX-1 activity. The aqueous partition was subfractionated into three parts by molecular weight differences, namely, B-F1 (above 20 KDa), B-F2 (between 10 KDa and 20 KDa) and BF-3 (below 10 KDa). B-F2 and B-F3 strongly inhibited COX-2 activity and COX-2 mRNA expression in a dose-dependent manner, without revealing cytotoxic effects. TNF-$\alpha and IL-1\beta$ are potent pro-inflammatory cytokines and are early indicators of the inflammatory process. We also investigated the effects of three subfractions on TNF-$\alpha and IL-1\beta$ production using ELISA method. All three subfractions, B-F1, B-F2 and B-F3, inhibited TNF-$\alpha and IL-1\beta$production. These results suggest the pharmacological activities of bee venom on anti-inflammatory process include the inhibition of COX-2 expression and the blocking of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-$\alpha and IL-1\beta$) production.

Keywords

References

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