Chungsim-Yeunja-Tang decreases the inflammatory response in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with cerebral infarction through an NF-κB dependent mechanism.
BACKGROUND
Chungsim-Yeunja-Tang (CYT) has been used as a medicine for cerebral infarction (CI) patients in Korea. The objective of this study was to determine precisely the effect of CYT on CI patients using peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).


METHODS
For a clinical study, 47 CI patients were identified who had taken CYT (0.01 g/kg) 3 times a day after meals for 2 weeks by oral administration. For ex vivo experiments, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated from CI patients. We analyzed the effect of CYT and its main components on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced cytokine production and mechanism on PBMCs of CI patients by using ELISA, western blot analysis, transcription factor enzyme-linked immunoassay, and caspase assay.


RESULTS
Clinical signs of CI significantly disappeared about 2 weeks after oral administration of CYT to CI patients (P < 0.05). CYT and quercetin, an active compound of CYT, significantly inhibited LPS-induced interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α production and expression in PBMCs. CYT and quercetin also inhibited LPS-induced nuclear translocation and DNA binding activities of nuclear factor-κB and degradation of IκBα. In addition, CYT and quercetin inhibited LPS-induced IL-32 expression and caspase-1 activation.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest a mechanism that might explain the beneficial effect of CYT in treating CI patients. Taken together, our findings indicate that inhibition of IL-32 expression and caspase-1 activation may be a novel biomarker and potential therapeutic target in CI.
Biochip Research Center, Hoseo University, Asan, Chungnam, Republic of Korea.
Hyun-Ja
HJ
Jeong
In-Young
IY
Choi
Min-Ho
MH
Kim
Hyung-Min
HM
Kim
Phil-Dong
PD
Moon
Jin-Woo
JW
Hong
Soo-Hyun
SH
Kim
D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D020170:Caspase 1 / Q000276:immunology; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000276:immunology; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000276:immunology; D007378:Interleukins / Q000276:immunology; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008518:Medicine, East Asian Traditional; D008875:Middle Aged; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011794:Quercetin / Q000494:pharmacology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000276:immunology
D000975:Antioxidants; C487871:Chungsim-Yeunga-Tan; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C496971:IL32 protein, human; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D015850:Interleukin-6; D007378:Interleukins; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D016328:NF-kappa B; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D011794:Quercetin; D020170:Caspase 1