title: Flowers of Inula japonica Attenuate Inflammatory Responses.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The flowers of Inula japonica (Inulae Flos) have long been used in traditional medicine for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. In the present study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory properties of Inulae Flos Extract (IFE).
  
  
  METHODS
  The anti-inflammatory effects of IFE against nitric oxide (NO), PGE(2), TNF-α, and IL-6 release, as well as NF-κB and MAP kinase activation were evaluated in RAW 264.7 cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  IFE inhibited the production of NO and the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. In addition, IFE reduced the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α and IL-6. Furthermore, IFE inhibited the NF-κB activation induced by LPS, which was associated with the abrogation of IκB-α degradation and subsequent decreases in nuclear p65 and p50 levels. Moreover, the phosphorylation of ERK, JNK, and p38 MAP kinases in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells was suppressed by IFE in a dose-dependent manner.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that the anti-inflammation activities of IFE might be attributed to the inhibition of NO, iNOS and cytokine expression through the down-regulation of NF-κB activation via suppression of IκBα and MAP kinase phosphorylation in macrophages.
authors.affiliation: Research and Development Division, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute for Oriental Medicine Industry, Gyeongsan 712-210, Korea.
authors.forename: Jeon Hyeun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Young Na
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Mei Hua
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Jiean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Younju
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jong Keun
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Son
authors.forename: Hyeun Wook
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Eunkyung
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lee