• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.9
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• pp.976-983
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• 2015

Achyranthoside C dimethyl ester (ACDE) is an oleanolic acid glycoside from Achyranthes japonica which has been used in traditional medicine for the treatment of edema and arthritis. In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of ACDE in RAW264.7 macrophages. ACDE significantly induced heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) gene expression in RAW264.7 cells, while ACDE improved LPS-induced toxicity of cells. And ACDE induced nuclear translocation of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), a transcription factor that regulates HO-1 expression. Further study demonstrated that ACDE-induced expression of HO-1 was inhibited by inhibitors of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI-3K) (LY294002), c-Jun kinase (JNK) (SP600125), extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK) (PD98059) and p38 kinase (SB203580). Moreover, ACDE phosphorylated Akt, JNK, ERK, and p38 MAPK. In addition, ACDE inhibited LPS-induced NO secretion as well as inducible NO synthase (iNOS) expression in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibitory effects of ACDE on iNOS expression were abrogated by small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated knock-down of HO-1. Therefore, these results suggest that ACDE suppresses the production of pro-inflammatory mediator such as NO by inducing HO-1 expression via PI-3K/Akt/MAPK-Nrf2 signaling pathway. These findings could help us to understand the active principle included in the roots of A. japonica and the molecular mechanisms underlying anti-inflammatory action of ACDE.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.339-348
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• 2013

Objectives : Danguieumja is a traditional medicinal prescription to treat skin disease. It was commonly used for the treatment of itching, chronic urticaria and atopic dermatitis in Korea by the addition or omission of several herbs. This study investigated the anti-inflammatory potential of Gagam-Danguieumja (GDE) water extract. Methods : We examined the effects of GDE on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced production of nitric oxide (NO) in a murine macrophage cell line, RAW 264.7 cells. Results : GDE inhibited production of NO in a dose dependent manner and also decreased the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). As a possible molecular mechanism of anti-inflammatory effect increased phosphorylation of mitogen-activating protein kinases (MAPK) by LPS were blocked by GDE treatment. Conclusions : These results suggest that GDE has an anti-inflammatory therapeutic potential through the inhibition of MAPK phosphorylation, thereby decreasing the expression of pro-inflammatory genes.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.618-621
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• 2016

Geranium thunbergii is a perennial plant commonly used as an oriental medicine for prevention of diarrhea, constipation, and gastrointestinal disorders. However, its anti-inflammatory effect has not been evaluated thus far. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory effect of G. thunbergii. In this study, G. thunbergii extracted with methanol; this methanol extract was further partitioned using various solvents, and G. thunbergii ethyl acetate fraction (GTEF) was obtained. To determine the anti-inflammatory activity of G. thunbergii, the effects of GTEF on nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells were evaluated. GTEF suppressed NO production in a dose-dependent manner without any toxic effects. In addition, western blotting was performed to examine the effect of GTEF on expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2. These results suggest that GTEF as a phytoextract may be useful for the prevention or treatment of inflammation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1998.11a
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• pp.145-145
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• 1998

In the present study, we have demonstrated that taurine could stimulate the production of nitric oxide and the activity of ERK2 (extracellular signal regulated protein kinase or pp42 MAP kinase). Nitric oxide(NO), the product of inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS), is known to be implicated in the metabolism of bone. ERK cascade plays a key role in the gene expression of iNOS in osteoblastic cell. We investigated whether taurine (l-20mM) could stimulate ERK2 activity, nitric oxide production, and inducible nitric oxide synthase in osteoblast-like UMR-106 cells. Nitric oxide was measured spectophotometrically as nitrite and the activation of ERK2 and iNOS was studied using Western 145 blot analysis. Taurine increased the production of nitric oxide in a dose-dependent manner and the effect was reached to a maximum at 10 mM. The activation of iNOS were consistent with NO levels. The tyrosine phosphorylation of ERK2 was increased by taurine in a time-dependent manner. The these result suggest that taurine might stimulate the production of nitric oxide in osteoblast-like cells by the activation of ERK2 and could regulate the metabolism of bone via nitric oxide.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.212-215
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• 2009

The inhibitory effects of Curcuma longa rhizome-derived materials against nitric oxide (NO) production were assessed. The inhibitory effect (57%) on NO production was evidenced by the methanol extract of C. longa at $1\;{\mu}g/mL$. In the fractionation of the methanol extract, the ethyl acetate fraction evidenced an inhibitory effect greater than 62.1% at $1\;{\mu}g/mL$. The active constituent was identified as curcumin. Curcumin exerted potent inhibitory effects of 78.7 and 65.7% at concentrations of 1 and $0.5\;{\mu}g/mL$, respectively. Furthermore, the inhibitory effect of ar-turmerone was measured as 31.3 and 15.8% at 1 and $0.5\;{\mu}g/mL$, respectively. The iNOS expression-suppressive effects of curcumin were assessed via western blot analysis. Our results suggest that curcumin and ar-turmerone may prove useful in the development of new types of NO inhibitors.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.55-61
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• 2018

Objectives : Artemisia capillaris Thunberg (AC) and Artemisia iwayomogi Kitamura (AI) have been used without distinguishment since ancient times due to similar appearance. In this study, we compared the inhibitory effects of AC and AI on the expression of inflammatory cytokines induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in murine macrophages. Methods : AC and AI were extracted by reflux with distilled water (DW) and 70% ethanol (EtOH). We investigated the inhibitory effects of AC and AI on the expression of nitric oxide (NO), inducible NO synthase (iNOS) and tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$($TNF-{\alpha}$) induced by LPS in macrophages. Results : Firstly, yield of the samples was higher in order of Artemisia iwayomogi DW Extract (AID), Artemisia iwayomogi 70% EtOH Extract (AIE), Artemisia capillaris DW Extract (ACD) and Artemisia capillaris 70% EtOH Extract (ACE). All of the samples were not toxic in macrophages. The inhibitory effect of the samples on LPS-induced NO expression was stronger in the order of AIE, ACE, AID and ACD. The inhibitory effect of the samples on LPS-induced inducible iNOS expression was stronger in the order of AIE, ACE and AID. Effect of ACD was same with that of AID. In addition, inhibitory effect of the samples on LPS induced $TNF-{\alpha}$expression wes stronger in the order of AIE, ACE, AID and ACD. Conclusion: These results showed that AI would be more effective than AC and 70% EtOH would be more effective than DW as an extraction solvent in inflammatory diseases.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.10b
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• pp.203.2-204
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• 2003

Nitric oxide (NO) produced in large amounts by inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is known to be responsible for the vasodilation and hypotension observed in septic shock and inflammation. Inhibitors of iNOS, thus, may be useful candidate for the treatment of inflammatory diseases accompanied by the overproduction of NO. We prepared alcoholic extracts of woody plants and screened the inhibitory activity of NO production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated macrophages after the treatment of these extracts. (omitted)

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.498-501
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• 2012

Egg allergy has been reported as the most prevalent food hypersensitivity among children. One of the major egg allergens is ovalbumin (OVA). OVA is the major protein in the egg white, comprising 54% of its total protein content. Curcumin isolated from Curcuma longa has been used as folk remedies in order to treat many chronic diseases for many years. In the present report, we present biochemical evidence that curcumin inhibits the NF-${\kappa}B$ activation induced by OVA. Curcumin also inhibits OVA-induced iNOS expression and nitrite production. These data suggest new approaches for the development of efficient anti-allergic strategies.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.279-283
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• 2011

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play an important role in induction of innate immune responses. The activation of TLRs triggers inflammatory responses that are essential for host defense against invading pathogens. Phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC) extracted from cruciferous vegetables has an effect on anti-inflammatory therapy. Dysregulated activation of nuclear factor-${\kappa}$B (NF-${\kappa}$B), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) has been shown to play important roles in the development of certain inflammatory disease. To evaluate the therapeutic potential of PEITC, NF-${\kappa}$B activation and COX-2 and iNOS expression induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS, TLR4 agonist), polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (Poly[I:C], TLR3 agonist), 2 kDa macrophageactivating lipopeptide (MALP-2, TLR2 and TLR6 agonist) or oligodeoxynucleotide 1668 (ODN1668, TLR9 agonist) were examined. PEITC inhibits the activation of NF-${\kappa}$B induced by LPS or Poly[I:C] but not by MALP-2 or ODN1668. PEITC also suppressed the iNOS expression induced by LPS or Poly[I:C]. However, PEITC did not suppress COX-2 expression induced by LPS, Poly[I:C], MALP-2, or ODN1668. These results suggest that PEITC has the specific mechanism for antiinflammatory responses.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.481-484
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• 1998

In activated macrophages the inducible form of nitric oxide synthase (i-NOS) generates high amounts of toxic mediator, nitric oxide (NO) which contributes to the circulatory failure associated with septic shock. A sesquiterpene lactone compound (yomogin) isolated from medicinal plant Artemisia princeps Pampan inhibited the production of NO in LPS-activated RAW 264.7 cells by suppressing i-NOS enzyme expression. Thus, yomogin may be a useful candidate for the development of new drugs to treat endotoxemia and inflammation accompanied by the overproduction of NO.