Inducible activity of ginger rhizome (Zingiber offifinale Rosc.) on the mRNA expression of macrophage-inducible nitric oxide (NO) synthase and NO production in a macrophage cell line, RAW264.7 cells.
We have investigated the effect of Zingiber offifinale Rosc. (ZOR) on macrophage-inducible nitric oxide (NO) synthase (macNOS) mRNA expression and NO production in RAW264.7 cells, a murine macrophage cell line; 100 microg/ml ZOR can induce macNOS mRNA expression, but induction effects at a dose below 10 microg/ml were weak or negligible. Kinetic studies showed that macNOS mRNA can be detected from 4 hours to 24 hours after dosing, with a peak at 8 hours. In accordance with the induction of macNOS mRNA expression, NO concentrations increased from 3.4 microM at 2 hours to almost 150 microM at 24 hours, reflecting a longer period of macNOS mRNA expression. The activity of ZOR can be considered to contribute, at least in part, to the beneficial effects of ZOR through the macNOS-mediated activation of the biodefense mechanism.
Imanishi
Nobuko
N
Department of Oriental Medicine, Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sugitani 2630, Toyama 930-0194, Japan.
Mantani
Naoki
N
Sakai
Shinya
S
Sato
Miyuki
M
Katada
Yuko
Y
Ueda
Kyouka
K
Terasawa
Katsutoshi
K
Ochiai
Hiroshi
H
D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000187:drug effects; D020939:Zingiber officinale; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000235:genetics*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D027343:Rhizome; D013997:Time Factors
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase