• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.205-227
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• 2021

Objectives : Jigal-san (JGS, 止渴散) has been used in East Asia including Korea, Japan and China for the treatment of breast inflammatory disorders and severe thirst. JGS originated from Euimunpalbeob (醫門八法; Yimenbafa) composed of Lonicerae Flos and Taraxaci Herba. According to previous studies Lonicerae Flos and Taraxaci Herba have an anti-inflammatory effect, respectively. But, there is no studies regarding on the effects of JGS in the immunological activities. The present study evaluated the anti-inflammatory effects of JGS in vitro and in vivo. Methods : Cell viability was evaluated by MTT assay, and NO was evaluated by content of the nitrite content in culture medium. TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 were quantified by ELISA. The protein expression of NF-κB, MAPKs, and iNOS were assessed by western blot analysis. Furthermore, the effects of JGS on acute inflammation were observed in rat paw edema model. Results : The JGS ameliorates the LPS-activated changes in the protein expression of NF-κB, p-JNK, and iNOS, as well as the production of NO and pro-inflammatory cytokines. In rat paw edema study, administration of 0.3 and 1.0 g/kg of JGS for 4 consecutive days inhibited the carrageenan (CA)-induced increases of edema and iNOS expression. Conclusions : These results demonstrate that JGS has anti-inflammatory effect in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells through decreasing the production of inflammatory mediators, via suppression of the NF-κB and MAPK pathways (JNK, not p-38 and ERK). In addition, the results of the CA-induced paw edema indicate that JGS ameliorates an inflammatory edema. Therefore, the present study could provide scientific evidence for the anti-inflammatory effect of JGS as well as the underlying mechanisms.