title: Anti-inflammatory effects of total saponins of Panax notoginseng.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the anti-inflammatory effects of total saponins of Panax notoginseng (PnS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Rat air-pouch acute inflammatory model was established with s.c. carrageenan (Car, 25 mg.kg-1). The protein content in exudate was measured. Micro-acid titration assay and radioimmunoassay (RIA) were applied respectively to investigate effects of PnS on phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity and dinoprostone (Din) content in exudate. Fura-2 fluorescence technique was used to determine the intracellular free calcium concentration in neutrophils (Neu-[Ca2+]i).
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 12 h, PnS 60-240 mg.kg-1 i.p. reduced Neu counts, protein content [(7.7 +/- 1.3) to (4.4 +/- 1.4) g.L-1], and Din content [(1619 +/- 391) to (883 +/- 268) ng.L-1]; inhibited the PLA2 activity in exudate [(248 +/- 42) to (157 +/- 35) kU.L-1] in a dose-dependent manner. PnS 60, 120, and 240 mg.kg-1 lowered the level of Neu-[Ca2+]i with the inhibitory rate of 9.1%, 33.2%, and 39.4%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PnS has an obvious anti-inflammatory effect and its mechanisms are related to the inhibition of the Neu-[Ca2+]i level and PLA2 activity, and reduction of Din content.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, West China University of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, China. ylxh1975@tmmu.edu.cn
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002351:Carrageenan; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000378:metabolism; D007249:Inflammation / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000378:metabolism; D005894:Panax / Q000737:chemistry*; D010741:Phospholipases A / Q000378:metabolism; D054467:Phospholipases A2; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012503:Saponins / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D012503:Saponins; D002351:Carrageenan; D010741:Phospholipases A; D054467:Phospholipases A2; D015232:Dinoprostone; D002118:Calcium