title: Anti-inflammatory effects of Asparagus cochinchinensis extract in acute and chronic cutaneous inflammation.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Herbal Resources Research, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, 483 Exporo, Daejeon 305-811, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Do Yeon
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Byung Kil
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Choo
authors.forename: Taesook
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Myeong Sook
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Cheon
authors.forename: Hye Won
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: A Yeong
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ho Kyoung
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: 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