title: An in vitro study of the protective effect of the flavonoid silydianin against reactive oxygen species.
abstract: The inhibitory effect of silydianin, an active constituent of Silybium marianum, on the in vitro production and release of oxidative products has been examined. Polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) play a primary role in the initiation and propagation of inflammatory responses. Their apoptosis is a major mechanism associated with the resolution of inflammatory reactions. Neutrophils were assessed for caspase-3 activity, the rst step in the execution phase of apoptosis. When cells were cultured with 100 microM silydianin for 24 h, caspase-3 was activated. Induction of apoptosis by silydianin was accompanied by a decrease in luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence as well as superoxide radical (O2*-) release in freshly isolated cells and lipid peroxidation in mouse spleen microsomes. No significant effect of silydianin on PMN hydrogen peroxide production evaluated by a flow cytometric dichlorofluorescin oxidation assay was found. Such results indicate a possible antiinflammatory activity for silydianin, which regulates caspase-3 activation, affects cell membranes and acts as a free radical scavenger.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Biochemistry, Poznań University of Medical Sciences, Grunwaldzka 6, 60-780 Poznań, Poland. mzielin@am.poznan.pl
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zielińska-Przyjemska
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wiktorowicz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D053148:Caspase 3; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D008861:Microsomes / Q000187:drug effects; D020944:Silybum marianum / Q000737:chemistry*; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D012838:Silymarin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D012838:Silymarin; C015505:silidianin; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; C505409:Casp3 protein, mouse; D053148:Caspase 3