Methanol extract of Phellodendri cortex alleviates lipopolysaccharide-induced acute airway inflammation in mice.
OBJECTIVE
The effects of methanol extract of Phellodendri cortex on acute airway inflammation induced by intranasal administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 300mug/kg) were investigated in female BALB/c mice.


METHODS
At 2 h after LPS exposure, mice were treated orally with methanol extract of Phellodendri cortex (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg). At the end of this study, bronchoalveolar lavage fluids (BALF) were collected and number of total cells, macrophages and neutrophils, protein concentration were analyzed. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP-2), IL-10 levels and nitric oxide (NO) production in BALF were also determined.


RESULTS
Methanol extract of Phellodendri cortex dose-dependently alleviated LPS-induced acute airway inflammation via decreasing the infiltration of inflammatory cells and the release of inflammatory mediators.


CONCLUSIONS
The relief of airway inflammation provides a possible therapeutic application of Phellodendri cortex for the treatment of infectious pulmonary diseases.
Mao
Yan-Fei
YF
Departments of Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Xinhua Hospital,Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China.
Li
Yong-Qi
YQ
Zong
Lin
L
You
Xin-Min
XM
Lin
Fu-Qing
FQ
Jiang
Lai
L
D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000633:toxicity; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D032102:Phellodendron; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000188:drug therapy*
D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D010936:Plant Extracts