title: Immunomodulatory activity of Semecarpus anacardium extract in mononuclear cells of normal individuals and rheumatoid arthritis patients.
abstract: Semecarpus anacardium (SA) Linn. (family Anacardiaceae), is a plant well-known for its medicinal value in Ayurveda. The nut extracts of this plant have been traditionally used as antihelminthic, anti-fungal, anti-carcinogenic and in the treatment of nervous debilities and arthritis. In this study we have evaluated crude ethanolic extract of SA nuts for its anti-inflammatory activities in vitro using peripheral blood and synovial fluid mononuclear cells of healthy individuals and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. SA extract inhibited the spontaneous and LPS induced production of proinflammatory cytokines IL-1beta and IL-12p40 but had no effect on TNF-alpha and IL-6 production, both at protein and mRNA level. The crude extract also suppressed LPS induced nuclear translocation of transcription factors, NF-kappaB and AP-1; the inhibition of NF-kappaB was through the inhibition of IkappaBalpha phosphorylation. The extract also suppressed LPS activated nitric oxide production in mouse macrophage cell line, RAW 264.7. Our results for the first time show that SA extract can inhibit proinflammatory cytokine production and demonstrate its mechanism of action.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Sanjay Gandhi Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Raebareli Road, Lucknow 226 014, India.
authors.forename: Divya
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Amita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aggarwal
authors.forename: Amrita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mathias
authors.forename: Sita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Naik
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002460:Cell Line; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D024202:Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay; D006801:Humans; D053762:Interleukin-12 Subunit p40 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D021381:Protein Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D031023:Semecarpus / Q000737:chemistry*; D018808:Transcription Factor AP-1 / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D053762:Interleukin-12 Subunit p40; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D015850:Interleukin-6; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D016328:NF-kappa B; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018808:Transcription Factor AP-1; D009569:Nitric Oxide