title: Flower extract of Panax notoginseng attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory response via blocking of NF-kappaB signaling pathway in murine macrophages.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The root of Panax notoginseng (PN) is commonly used to treat chronic liver disease with its therapeutic abilities to stop haemorrhage in the circulation, while the PN flower (PN-F) is largely unknown in the biological activities on inflammation and mechanisms of its actions. In this study, the pharmacologic effects of PN-F methanol extract on inflammation were investigated to address potential therapeutic or toxic effects in LPS-stimulated mouse macrophage cells, RAW264.7 cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  Production of NO, PGE2 and pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-alpha and IL-1beta) in supernatant, the expression of iNOS, COX-2 and cytokines, the phosphorylation of MAPK molecules (ERK1/2, JNK and p38 MAPK), and the activation of NF-kappaB in PN-F extract were assayed in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PN-F extract significantly inhibited the productions of NO, PGE2, TNF-alpha and IL-1beta on the LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. In addition, PN-F extract suppressed the mRNA and protein expressions of iNOS, COX-2, TNF-alpha and IL-1beta in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. The molecular mechanism of PN-F extract-mediated attenuation in RAW264.7 cells has close a relationship to suppressing the phosphorylation of MAPK molecules such as ERK1/2, JNK and p38 MAPK, and the translocation of NF-kappaB p65 subunit into nuclear.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that PN-F extract inhibits LPS-induced inflammatory response via the blocking of NF-kappaB signaling pathway in macrophages, and demonstrated that PN-F extract possesses anti-inflammatory properties in vitro.
authors.affiliation: Department of Herbology, College of Oriental Medicine, Dongguk University, Gyeongju 780-714, South Korea.
authors.forename: Hyo-Won
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Un-Kyo
authors.initials: UK
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Jang-Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kang-Hyun
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Leem
authors.forename: Yong-Ki
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002460:Cell Line; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D035264:Flowers; D051550:I-kappa B Kinase / Q000378:metabolism; D007249:Inflammation; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000378:metabolism; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008264:Macrophages; D051379:Mice; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D053723:Panax notoginseng; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D016328:NF-kappa B; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D051550:I-kappa B Kinase; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D015232:Dinoprostone