A molecular pharmacology study into the anti-inflammatory actions of Euphorbia hirta L. on the LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells through selective iNOS protein inhibition.
Euphorbia hirta L. has been widely used in India and Chinese society. The molecular pharmacology basis of its anti-inflammatory effect is revealed in this work. The ethanol extract of Euphorbia hirta L. (Eh) and its active component were studied in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated macrophage cells (RAW 264.7) as an established inflammation model. After activation, nitric oxide (NO) production and expression of iNOS protein and iNOS mRNA were measured by using a colorimetric assay (Griess reagent), western blotting, and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), respectively. The alteration in the content of PGE(2), TNFalpha, and IL-6 was concurrently monitored by ELISA. In results, we found that in the concentration range without showing cytotoxicity, Eh produced a remarkable anti-inflammatory effect via its active component of beta-amyrin and showed a dose-related inhibition of LPS-induced NO production. This phenomenon is in accordance with a substantial inhibition of iNOS protein. However, the expression of iNOS gene was unaffected by Eh treatments. Compared with indomethacin, Eh has much more potency and a specific action of NO inhibition but Eh works less specifically on PGE(2), IL-6, and TNF-alpha inhibition. The extract of Euphorbia hirta L. and its component beta-amyrin are able to block most of the iNOS protein functions and NO induction, and could therefore be new selective NO inhibitors with great potential in treating arthritis inflammation.
Shih
Mei-Fen
MF
Department of Pharmacy, Chia-Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC.
Cheng
Yih-Dih
YD
Shen
Chia-Rui
CR
Cherng
Jong-Yuh
JY
D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002460:Cell Line; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000378:metabolism; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D028481:Euphorbia / Q000737:chemistry*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000633:toxicity*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D015850:Interleukin-6; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D015232:Dinoprostone
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