title: In vitro anti-inflammatory effects of different solution fractions of ethanol extract from Melilotus suaveolens Ledeb.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Melilotus suaveolens Ledeb (M. suaveolens Ledeb) has long been used as a folk medicine in inflammation-related therapy. This study was undertaken to determine the anti-inflammatory effect of the plant.
  
  
  METHODS
  Petroleum ether fraction, ethyl acetate fraction, n-butanol fraction, aqueous fraction were obtained from ethanol extract of M. suaveolens Ledeb and evaluated by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). While dexamethasone (DM) was used as a positive control, the effects of different solution fractions of ethanol extract on tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) mRNA, cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) mRNA, COX-2 and nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) of LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells were studied by real-time PCR, Western blot analysis and immunocytochemical assay, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Coumarin was one of the main ingredients in different solution fractions of ethanol extract except the aqueous fraction with no inflammatory effect. The petroleum ether fraction, ethyl acetate fraction and n-butanol fraction of ethanol extract could inhibit the production of TNF-alpha mRNA, COX-2 mRNA and NF-kappaB to some extent.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Different solution fractions of ethanol extract from M. suaveolens Ledeb had similar anti-inflammatory effect as did dexamethasone except the aqueous fraction. Coumarin was likely to be essential to the anti-inflammatory effect, and other ingredients might attribute to their different anti-inflammatory effects from the HPLC fingerprint.
authors: College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China. zhangxiaoyu@mail.hust.edu.cn
authors: Xiao-yu
authors: XY
authors: Zhang
authors: Jun-yan
authors: JY
authors: Tao
authors: Lei
authors: L
authors: Zhao
authors: Zhi-jun
authors: ZJ
authors: Huang
authors: Fu-liang
authors: FL
authors: Xiong
authors: Shu-ling
authors: SL
authors: Zhang
authors: Chong-ming
authors: CM
authors: Li
authors: Fei
authors: F
authors: Xiao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002460:Cell Line; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000235:genetics; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D029903:Melilotus / Q000737:chemistry; D051379:Mice; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D016328:NF-kappa B; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2