title: Inhibition of lipopolysaccharide plus substance P-induced tumor necrosis factor-alpha production from astrocytes by Chongmyung-Tang.
abstract: Astrocytes have the capacity to secrete or respond to a variety of cytokines. In this study, we have examined whether an aqueous extract of Chongmyung-Tang (CmT) inhibits production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) from primary cultures of mouse astrocytes. CmT (1 and 10 microg/ml) significantly inhibited the TNF-alpha production by astrocytes stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and substance P (SP). Interleukin-1 (IL-1) has been shown to elevate TNF-alpha production from LPS-stimulated astrocytes while having no effect on astrocytes in the absence of LPS. We therefore examined whether IL-1 mediated inhibition of TNF-alpha production from primary astrocytes by CmT. Treatment of CmT (1 and 10 microg/ml) to astrocytes stimulated with both LPS and SP decreased IL-1 production significantly. In addition, reverse-transcribed polymerase chain reaction analysis demonstrated that significantly reduced level of the TNF-alpha mRNA was expressed in astrocytes treated with CmT. Our results suggest that CmT inhibits TNF-alpha production by reducing TNF-alpha mRNA expression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oriental Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Wonkwang University, Iksan, Chonbuk, South Korea. hmkim@med.wonkwang.ac.kr
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Y J
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Y S
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Lyu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; D013373:Substance P / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D007375:Interleukin-1; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D013373:Substance P