title: Hepatoprotective phytocompounds from Cryptomeria japonica are potent modulators of inflammatory mediators.
abstract: Cryptomeria japonica is an important plantation conifer tree in Asia. This study aimed to characterize the anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective activities of the phytocompounds from C. japonica wood on LPS- or TPA-induced activation of proinflammatory mediators and CCl(4)-induced acute liver injury in mice. A CJH7-2 fraction was purified from C. japonica extracts following bioactivity-guided fractionation, and it exhibited significant activities on inhibition of NO production and iNOS expression as well as up-regulating HO-1 expression in LPS-stimulated macrophages. CJH7-2 also potently inhibits COX-2 enzymatic activity (IC(50)=5 microg/mL) and TPA-induced COX-2 protein expression in mouse skin (1mg/200 microL/site). CJH7-2 (10 mg/kg BW) can prevent CCl(4)-induced liver injury and aminotransferases activities in mice. Chemical fingerprinting analysis showed that terpenes are the major bioactive compounds in the CJH7-2 fraction. This is the first study to demonstrate that chemical constituents from the wood extract of C. japonica possess anti-inflammatory activities in vitro and in vivo that may play a role in hepatoprotection.
authors.affiliation: Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan, ROC. lfshyur@ccvax.sinica.edu.tw
authors.forename: Lie-Fen
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Shyur
authors.forename: Chi-Chang
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Chiu-Ping
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.forename: Chih-Yang
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: Yi-Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Sheng-Yang
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Shang-Tzen
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride / Q000633:toxicity; D002460:Cell Line; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; D032485:Cryptomeria / Q000737:chemistry*; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D015394:Molecular Structure; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000378:metabolism; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D013729:Terpenes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014934:Wood / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; D013729:Terpenes; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases