title: Anti-inflammatory effect of spilanthol from Spilanthes acmella on murine macrophage by down-regulating LPS-induced inflammatory mediators.
abstract: Spilanthes acmella (Paracress), a common spice, has been administered as a traditional folk medicine for years to cure toothaches, stammering, and stomatitis. Previous studies have demonstrated its diuretic, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory activities. However, the active compounds contributing to the anti-inflammatory effect have seldom been addressed. This study isolates the active compound, spilanthol, by a bioactivity-guided approach and indicates significant anti-inflammatory activity on lipopolysaccharide-activated murine macrophage model, RAW 264.7. The anti-inflammatory mechanism of paracress is also investigated. Extracts of S. acmella are obtained by extraction with 85% ethanol, followed by liquid partition against hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and butanol. The ethyl acetate extract exhibits a stronger free radical scavenging capacity than other fractions do, as determined by DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging assays. The chloroform extract significantly inhibits nitric oxide production ( p < 0.01) and is selected for further fractionation to yield the active compound, spilanthol. The diminished levels of LPS-induced inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase (COX-2) mRNA and protein expression support the postulation that spilanthol inhibits proinflammatory mediator production at the transcriptional and translational levels. Additionally, the LPS-stimulated IL-1beta, IL-6, and TNF-alpha productions are dose-dependently reduced by spilanthol. The LPS-induced phosphorylation of cytoplasmic inhibitor-kappaB and the nuclear NF-kappaB DNA binding activity are both restrained by spilanthol. Results of this study suggest that spilanthol, isolated from S. acmella, attenuates the LPS-induced inflammatory responses in murine RAW 264.7 macrophages partly due to the inactivation of NF-kappaB, which negatively regulates the production of proinflammatory mediators.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Chemistry, National Chi Nan University, Puli, Nantou, Taiwan. lw25@ncnu.edu.tw
authors.forename: Li-Chen
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Nien-Chu
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Ming-Hui
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Inn-Ray
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Shu-Jung
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Ching-Yuan
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Shang-Yu
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D000577:Amides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019659:Asteraceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000235:genetics; D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000187:drug effects; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides
chemical_list: D000577:Amides; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; C489347:N-isobutyl-2E-decenamide; D016328:NF-kappa B; D010936:Plant Extracts; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2