title: Effect of Astragali radix extract on lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation in human amnion.
abstract: The effects of Astragali radix extract on interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha productions, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) biosynthesis, and leukotriene C4 (LTC4) production from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated human amnion cells were investigated. Amnion cells produced detectable amounts of both IL-6 and TNF-alpha under LPS-stimulated conditions. Astragalus extract inhibited the production of IL-6. However, TNF-alpha production was not inhibited by the extract on L929 cytotoxicity assay. Treatment of amnion cells with LPS for up to 24 h resulted in an increase in PGE2 release in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. The extract (150 mg/ml) significantly inhibited the output of PGE2 by amnion cells (p<0.01). The arachidonate lipoxygenase metabolite (LTC4) was increased by LPS treatment of amnion cells. Astragalus extract (30 mg/ml) inhibited LTC4 production by approximately 65% throughout the culture period. These results suggest that Astragali radix extract may have a role in inhibiting bacterial infection-associated preterm labor by suppressing the productions of IL-6, PGE2, and LTC4 by human amnion cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine and Intractable Disease Research Center, Dongguk University, Sukjang-Dong, Kyongju, Korea.
authors.forename: Yun-Hee
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Shon
authors.forename: Jong-Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kyung-Soo
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Nam
mesh_terms: D000650:Amnion / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003513:Cycloheximide / Q000494:pharmacology; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D017997:Leukotriene C4 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011500:Protein Synthesis Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D015850:Interleukin-6; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011500:Protein Synthesis Inhibitors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D017997:Leukotriene C4; D003513:Cycloheximide; D015232:Dinoprostone