• The Journal of Korean Medicine
• /
• v.30 no.3
• /
• pp.39-50
• /
• 2009

Objective : The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of Aconiti ciliare tuber on the descending pain and the recovery of locomotor function that results from sciatic crushed nerve injury in rats. Method : In order to assess the effects of the aqueous extract of Aconiti ciliare tuber on the recovery rate of locomotor function, we investigated the walking track analysis, and for the effects on the pain control we investigated brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in the sciatic nerve and on the expressions of c-Fos in the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG) region resulting from the sciatic crushed nerve injury in rats. Result : Treatment with Aconiti ciliare tuber significantly enhanced the SFIvalue, enhanced BDNF expression, decreased iNOS expression, and suppressed c-Fos expression. The present results showed that Aconiti ciliare tuber facilitated functional recovery following sciatic crushed nerve injury in rats. The recovery mechanisms of SFI by Aconiti ciliare tuber might be ascribed to the increase of BDNF expression for nerve regeneration and reinnervation and to the suppression of iNOS expression for inhibiting nerve inflammation. Conclusion : In this process it has been shown that Aconiti ciliare tuber can be used for pain control and functional recovery from peripheral nerve injury.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.23 no.4
• /
• pp.866-871
• /
• 2009

Brain edema is a major importance in the pathophysiology of CNS injuries including stroke. Ischemic brain edema results from both cytotoxic edema, which is severe in astrocytes at early stage, and vasogenic edema caused by excessive blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability. The present study was performed to determine the effect of Rhei Rhizoma on brain edema induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in the rats. The neurological symptom, total infarct volume and edema index caused by MCAO were measured. The changes of Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) immunoreactivities were also observed. We found that Rhei Rhizoma extract improved the neurological symptom and attenuated the total infarct volume and brain edema caused by ischemic insult. Rhei Rhizoma extract also attenuated the expression of MMP-9 and iNOS. This results suggest that Rhei Rhizoma has a protective effect on the brain edema caused by ischemic insult.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.28 no.8
• /
• pp.1310-1317
• /
• 2018

The stems of Dendrobium moniliforme have been used in traditional herbal medicine for the treatment of fever and lack of body fluid in Korea. In this study, we investigated anti-inflammatory effects of the aqueous extract of D. moniliforme stems (DM) in response to lipoteichoic acid (LTA), a major constituent of the cell wall of Gram-positive bacteria. DM inhibited LTA-induced expression of a pro-inflammatory mediator inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the murine macrophages. And DM induced expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) at the transcriptional level. Conversely, the knockdown of HO-1 expression by siRNA markedly reversed the inhibitory effects of DM on LTA-induced iNOS expression. We also demonstrated that nuclear translocation of Nrf2 was increased following treatment with DM. In addition, DM-mediated Nrf2 activation and HO-1 expression were suppressed by PI3K/Akt and p38 inhibitors; treatment with DM also resulted in phosphorylation of Akt and p38. These results suggest that DM inhibits the expression of iNOS in LTA-stimulated macrophages, and that these effects are mediated by the upregulation of HO-1 expression via PI3K/Akt/p38-Nrf2 signaling.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.151-153
• /
• 2002

Three pseudoguaianolide type sesquiterpenes, bigelovin(1), 2,3-dihydroaromaticin (2), and ergolide (3) were isolated as inhibitory constituents against inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) from the flowers of Inula britannica var. chinensis. Bigelovin (1) exhibited a highly potent inhibitory activity on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced iNOS in murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cells with an $IC_{50}$ value of 0.46 mM, which is about 8 times more potent than the known selective inhibitor of iNOS, $L-N^6-(1-iminoethyl)Iysine{\;}(IC_{50}{\;}3.49{\;}{\mu}M)$. 2,3-Dihydroaromaticin (2) and ergolide (3) also exhibited potent inhibitory activities on LPS-induced iNOS with $IC_{50}$ values of 1.05 and $0.69{\;}{\mu}M$, respectively.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.267-274
• /
• 2019

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are one of the families of pattern recognition receptors (PRR) to recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). PAMPs stimulate TLRs to initiate specific immunoactivity. The activation of TLRs signaling leads to the expression of pro-inflammatory gene products such as cytokines and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). To evaluate the therapeutic potential of dehydrocostus lactone (DHL), which is a natural sesquiterpene lactone derived from various medicinal plants, iNOS expression induced by LPS (TLR4 agonist), MALP-2 (TLR2 and TLR6 agonist), or Poly[I:C] (TLR3 agonist) were examined. DHL suppressed the iNOS expression induced by LPS, MALP-2, or Poly[I:C]. DHL also inhibited nitrite production induced by LPS, MALP-2, or Poly[I:C]. These results suggest that DHL can modulate TLRs signaling pathways resulting in anti-inflammatory effect.

• Natural Product Sciences
• /
• v.24 no.3
• /
• pp.181-188
• /
• 2018

Caryopteris incana (Verbenaceae) has been used to treat cough, arthritis, and eczema in Oriental medicine. The two fractions ($CHCl_3-$ and BuOH fractions) and the essential oil of the plant material were subjected to the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) assay. The $IC_{50}$ of the $CHCl_3$ fraction and the essential oil on LPS-induced macrophage RAW 264.7 cells were $16.4{\mu}g/mL$ and $23.08{\mu}g/mL$, respectively. On gas chromatography (GC)-mass spectroscopy (MS) analysis, twenty-five components representing 85.5% amount of total essential oil were identified. On the chromatogram, three main substances, trans-pinocarveol, cis-citral, and pinocarvone, occupied 18.8%, 13.5% and 18.37% of total peak area. Furthermore, by HPLC-UV analysis, six compounds including one iridoid (8-O-acetylharpagide)- and five phenylethanoid glycosides (caryopteroside, acteoside, phlinoside A, 6-O-caffeoylphlinoside, and leucosceptoside A) isolated from the BuOH fraction were quantified. The content of six compounds were shown as the following order: caryopteroside (162.35 mg/g) > 8-O-acetylharpagide (93.28 mg/g) > 6-O-caffeoylphlinoside (28.15 mg/g) > phlinoside (22.60 mg/g) > leucosceptoside A (16.87 mg) > acteoside (7.05 mg/g).

• CELLMED
• /
• v.2 no.3
• /
• pp.27.1-27.6
• /
• 2012

Red ginseng, which has a variety of biological and pharmacological activities including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic effects, has been used for thousands of years as a general tonic in traditional oriental medicine. Here, we tested the immune regulatory activities of hydrolyzed red ginseng by malted barley (HRG) on the expressions of receptor interacting proteins (Rip) 2 and $I{\kappa}B$ kinase-beta (IKK-${\beta}$) in mouse peritoneal macrophages. We show that HRG increased the activations of Rip 2 and IKK-${\beta}$ for the first time. When HRG was used in combination with recombinant interferon-${\gamma}$ (rIFN-${\gamma}$), there was a marked cooperative induction of nitric oxide (NO) production. The increased expression of inducible NO synthase from rIFN-${\gamma}$ plus HRG-stimulated cells was almost completely inhibited by pre-treatment with pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC), an inhibitor of nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$ (NF-${\kappa}B$). In addition, the treatment of peritoneal macrophages with rIFN-${\gamma}$ plus HRG caused significant increases in tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$ mRNA expression and production. Because NO and TNF-${\alpha}$ play an important role in the immune function and host defense, HRG treatment can modulate several aspects of the host defense mechanisms as a result of the stimulations of the inducible nitric oxide synthase and NF-${\kappa}B$. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that HRG increases the productions of NO and TNF-${\alpha}$ from rIFN-${\gamma}$-primed macrophages and suggest that Rip2/IKK-${\beta}$ plays a critical role in mediating these immune regulatory effects of HRG.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.22 no.4
• /
• pp.907-913
• /
• 2008

Taraxci Herba (TH; Pogongyoung in Korean) has been used in traditional oriental medicine for the treatment of various ailments. The biological activity of this plant is not yet evaluated systematically. This study was conducted to evaluate the inhibitory effects of TH on the production of nitric oxide (NO) and the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated Raw264.7 cells. The aim of the present work is to investigate a potential anti-inflammatory activity of TH. The Raw264.7 cells were cultured in DMEM medium for 24 h. After serum starvation for 12 h, the cells were treated with TH for 1 h, followed by stimulating NO production with LPS ($2{\mu}g/ml$). As result of this study, TH inhibited the levels of NO, PGE2, $TNF-{\alpha}$, IL-6 and $IL-1{\beta}$, and the expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) activated by LPS. These inhibitory effects were mediated though the inhibition of phosphorylation of inhibitory kappa B ($I{\kappa}B$). These findings showed that TH could have some anti-inflammatory effects.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
• /
• v.29 no.1
• /
• pp.47-59
• /
• 2008

Objective : Anti-inflammatory effects of the extract of Lycii Fructus on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells were investigated. Method : In order to assess the cytotoxic effect of Lycii Fructus on the raw 264.7 macrophages 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide(MTT) assay was performed. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) analysis of the mRNA levels of tumor necrosis factor-$\alpha$(TNF-$\alpha$) and inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS) was performed in order to provide an estimate of the relative level of expression of these genes. The protein level of the inhibitor of nuclear factor-${\kappa}B(I{\kappa}B)$ and nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$(NF-${\kappa}B$) activity was investigated by Western blot assay. NO production was investigated by NO detection. Result : Lycii Fructus suppressed NO production by inhibiting the LPS-induced expressions of iNOS and TNF-$^-\alpha$ mRNA and iNOS protein in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. Also, Lycii Fructus suppressed activation of NF-${\kappa}B$ in the nucleus. Conclusion : These results show that the extract of Lycii Fructus has anti-inflammatory effect probably by suppressing iNOS expressions through the down-regulation of NF-${\kappa}B$ binding activity.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.15 no.6
• /
• pp.363-369
• /
• 2011

The present study elucidated the effect of the selective inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) inhibitor $N^6$-(1-iminoethyl)-L-lysine (L-NIL) on monosodium urate (MSU) crystal-induced inflammation and edema in mice feet. L-NIL (5 or 10 mg/kg/day) was administered intraperitoneally 4 h before injection of MSU (4 mg) into the soles of mice hindlimb feet. Twenty-four hours after MSU injection, foot thickness was increased by 160% and L-NIL pretreatment reduced food pad swelling in a dose dependent manner. Pretreatment of 10 mg/kg/day L-NIL significantly suppressed the foot pad swelling by MSU. Plasma level of nitric oxide (NO) metabolites and gene expression and protein level of iNOS in feet were increased by MSU, which was suppressed by L-NIL pretreatment. Similar pattern of change was observed in nitrotyrosine level. MSU increased the gene expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$ and interleukin (IL)-$1{\beta}$ and L-NIL pretreatment suppressed MSU-induced cytokines expression. The mRNA levels of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase1 were increased by MSU and L-NIL pretreatment normalized the gene expression. Phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 and p38 was increased by MSU, which was suppressed by L-NIL pretreatment. The mRNA levels of iNOS, TNF-${\alpha}$, and IL-$1{\beta}$ were increased by MSU in human dermal fibroblasts, C2C12 myoblasts, and human fetal osteoblasts in vitro, which was attenuated by L-NIL in a dose dependent manner. This study shows that L-NIL inhibits MSU-induced inflammation and edema in mice feet suggesting that iNOS might be involved in MSU-induced inflammation.