Inhibitory effect of Agrimoniae Herba on lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide and proinflammatory cytokine production in BV2 microglial cells.
OBJECTIVE
Agrimoniae Herba has been used as an anti-inflammatory agent in traditional medicine. Nitric oxide and proinflammatory cytokines produced by activated microglia may be a possible etiological factor of neurodegenerative disorders. We evaluated whether Agrimoniae Herba could have an anti-inflammatory effect on lipopolysaccharide-induced BV2 microglial cells.


METHODS
The effects of Agrimoniae Herba on lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide and proinflammatory cytokine production in BV2 microglial cells were evaluated by nitric oxide assay, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and western blotting.


RESULTS
Agrimoniae Herba had no cytotoxicity and suppressed lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide production in BV2 microglial cells. Agrimoniae Herba also suppressed lipopolysaccharide-induced production of proinflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor, interleukin 1 beta and interleukin 6 in a dose-dependent manner. Agrimoniae Herba inhibited the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase.


CONCLUSIONS
Taken together, these findings indicate that Agrimoniae Herba may be used as a form of pharmaceutical acupuncture therapy in the treatment of brain inflammation.
Bae
Hyunsu
H
Department of Physiology, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-701, Korea.
Kim
Hye-Jeoung
HJ
Shin
Minkyu
M
Lee
Hyejung
H
Yin
Chang Shik
CS
Ra
Jehyeon
J
Kim
Jinju
J
D031981:Agrimonia; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004610:Ellagic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D015151:Immunoblotting; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000633:toxicity; D051379:Mice; D017628:Microglia / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D015850:Interleukin-6; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D004610:Ellagic Acid; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; C496317:Nos2 protein, mouse