Anti-inflammatory effects of Asparagus cochinchinensis extract in acute and chronic cutaneous inflammation.
OBJECTIVE
Although Asparagus cochinchinensis Merrill (Liliaceae) has long been used in traditional Korean and Chinese medicine to treat inflammatory diseases, the underlying mechanism(s) by which these effects are induced remains to be defined. We investigated the effects of 70% ethanolic extract from Asparagus cochinchinensis Merrill (ACE) on skin inflammation in mice.


METHODS
Production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-1beta), activation of myeloperoxidase, and histological assessment were examined in acute and chronic skin inflammation using 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced mouse ear edema. We also performed acetic acid-induced vascular permeability test.


RESULTS
ACE inhibited topical edema in the mouse ear, following administration at 200mg/kg (i.p.), leading to substantial reductions in skin thickness and tissue weight, inflammatory cytokine production, neutrophil-mediated myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, and various histopathological indicators. Furthermore, ACE was effective at reducing inflammatory damage induced by chronic TPA exposure and evoked a significant inhibition of vascular permeability induced by acetic acid in mice.


CONCLUSIONS
These results demonstrate that ACE is an effective anti-inflammatory agent in murine phorbol ester-induced dermatitis, and suggest that the compound may have therapeutic potential in a variety of immune-related cutaneous diseases.
Lee
Do Yeon
DY
Department of Herbal Resources Research, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, 483 Exporo, Daejeon 305-811, Republic of Korea.
Choo
Byung Kil
BK
Yoon
Taesook
T
Cheon
Myeong Sook
MS
Lee
Hye Won
HW
Lee
A Yeong
AY
Kim
Ho Kyoung
HK
D019342:Acetic Acid; D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D027761:Asparagus Plant / Q000737:chemistry*; D002199:Capillary Permeability / Q000187:drug effects; D002908:Chronic Disease; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D003872:Dermatitis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004431:Ear, External; D004487:Edema / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D007375:Interleukin-1; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D009195:Peroxidase; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate; D019342:Acetic Acid