Dokhwaljihwang-tang inhibits LPS-induced inflammatory cytokine production in peripheral blood mononuclear cells.
OBJECTIVE
Dokhwaljihwang-tang, one of the prescriptions in Four Constitution medicine, has been used to treat neurological disorders. This work was aimed to examine the effect of Dokhwaljihwang-tang on lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory cytokine production in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from the lesser yang subjects.


METHODS
The inflammatory cytokines, interleukin 1 beta, interleukin 4 and tumor necrosis factor were measured using the ELISA. The interleukin 1 beta mRNA expression was evaluated with reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. The expression level of nuclear factor kappa B was examined by western blotting.


RESULTS
Dokhwaljihwang-tang significantly inhibited interleukin 1 beta and interleukin 4 production (p<0.05). When Dokhwaljihwang-tang was pre-treated at the dose of 1 mg/ml, it not only decreased the interleukin 1 beta mRNA expression, but also inhibited the activation of nuclear factor kappa B.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest the potential of Dokhwaljihwang-tang as a source of pharmaceutical acupuncture for neuronal inflammatory diseases.
Moon
Phil-Dong
PD
Oriental Medical Science Center, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-701, Korea.
Han
Na-Ra
NR
Ko
Seong-Gum
SG
Jeong
Hyun-Ja
HJ
Kim
Su-Jin
SJ
Lee
Bo-Ra
BR
Kim
Na-Hyung
NH
Choi
In-Young
IY
An
Hyo-Jin
HJ
Myung
Noh-Yil
NY
Lee
Hyejung
H
Kim
Myong-Jo
MJ
Kim
Ju-Sung
JS
Hong
Seung-Heon
SH
Kim
Hyung-Min
HM
Um
Jae-Young
JY
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000378:metabolism; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000378:metabolism; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000633:toxicity; D055670:Medicine, Korean Traditional; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D016328:NF-kappa B; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C548960:dokhwaljihwang-tang; D015847:Interleukin-4