title: Inhibition by Moxa smoke of NO production and iNOS expression in mouse macrophage-like cells Raw 264.7.
abstract: The biological activities of Moxa, used as moxibustion, have not been well documented. We investigated the effect of Moxa smoke on nitric oxide (NO) production by mouse macrophage-like Raw 264.7 cells. Moxa smoke failed to stimulate the Raw 264.7 cells to produce detectable amounts of NO, but rather inhibited the NO production by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated Raw 264.7 cells. The 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of NO production by Moxa smoke (0.16%) was one order lower than the 50% cytotoxic concentration (CC50) (4.67%). Western blot and RT-PCR analyses demonstrated that a slightly higher concentration of Moxa is required to reduce the iNOS expression at protein and mRNA levels (IC50 = 0.99 and 2.03%, respectively). The inhibition of NO production by Moxa smoke is, thus, probably due to both the inhibition of iNOS expression and radical-scavenging activity. The present data suggest the possible anti-inflammatory effect of Moxa smoke.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Meikai University School of Dentistry, Saitama, Japan.
authors.forename: Hisatoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shimada
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nagasaka
authors.forename: Isao
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sakagami
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019306:Artemisia / Q000737:chemistry*; D002460:Cell Line; D004790:Enzyme Induction; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D012906:Smoke
chemical_list: D012906:Smoke; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; C496317:Nos2 protein, mouse