Effects of three purgative decoctions on inflammatory mediators.
In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), there are three Cheng-Chi-Tang decoctions (CCTDs) including: Ta-Cheng-Chi-Tang (TCCT), Xiao-Chen-Chi-Tang (XCCT) and Tiao-Wei-Chen-Chi-Tang (TWCCT), which are the frequently used purgative remedies to treat "internal heat"-induced symptoms like a bloated and painful abdomen, hard stools and fever, etc. Constituents in each formulation are Rheum palmatum L. (Polygonaceae), Magnolia officinalis Rehd. et Wils. (Magnoliaceae), Citrus aurantium L. (Rutaceae), Mirabilitum (mirabilite, crystals of sodium sulfate, Na2SO4) for TCCT; Rheum palmatum, Magnolia officinalis, Citrus aurantium for XCCT; and Rheum palmatum, Mirabilitum, Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. (Leguminosae) for TWCCT. However, the underlying mechanisms for purging internal pathological heat are far from fully clarified, and few scientific investigations have been carried out to delineate the relationships between the anti-inflammatory effects and laxative potencies of these formulations. In this study, the anti-inflammatory effects of the three CCTDs on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E (PGE2) production in RAW 264.7 cells, carrageenan-induced paw edema in mice and the laxative effect in mice were explored. The results showed that TCCT inhibited LPS-induced NO and PGE2 production and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in RAW 264.7 cells more effectively than did XCCT or TWCCT. Moreover, paw edema of carrageenan-treated mice was significantly attenuated in mice pretreated with 1 g/kg TCCT. TCCT also showed the strongest purgative activity among the three formulations. These findings indicate that TCCT has anti-inflammatory effects in addition to its traditionally known purgative activities. It may have potential to treat inflammatory disease conditions.
Tseng
Sung-Hui
SH
School of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, 250 Wu-Hsing Street, Taipei 110, Taiwan, ROC.
Lee
Hsin-Hsueh
HH
Chen
Lih-Geeng
LG
Wu
Chih-Hsiung
CH
Wang
Ching-Chiung
CC
D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002351:Carrageenan / Q000494:pharmacology; D002400:Cathartics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002460:Cell Line; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004487:Edema / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control; D029001:Herbal Medicine; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000502:physiology*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice
D002400:Cathartics; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D002351:Carrageenan