title: Anti-inflammatory effects of methanol extract of Antrodia cinnamomea mycelia both in vitro and in vivo.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Antrodia cinnamomea is a folk medicinal mushroom commonly used in Taiwan for the treatment of several types of cancers and inflammatory disorders. This study aimed to explore the folk use of Antrodia cinnamomea on pharmacological grounds to characterize the scientific basis of anti-inflammatory activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  The in vitro anti-inflammatory activity of methanol extract of liquid cultured mycelia of Antrodia cinnamomea (MEMAC) was judged by the measurement of the produced levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and mediators in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 cells and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). The in vivo anti-inflammatory activity of MEMAC was evaluated using carrageenan-induced hind paw edema in mice, the activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in the liver and the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitrite oxide (NO) in the edema paw. The levels of serum NO and TNF-α were measured. The MEMAC was administered at the concentrations of 100, 200, and 400mg/kg body weight of mouse.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MEMAC inhibited the production of LPS-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6) and mediators (NO and PGE2) in RAW264.7 cells and human PBMCs. Data from Western blotting showed that MEMAC decreased the levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) protein expression in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages. In vivo, MEMAC showed significant (p<0.05) anti-inflammatory activity by reducing the edema volume in carrageenan-induced paw edema in mice. MEMAC (400mg/kg) also reduced the carrageenan-induced leukocyte migration (50.92±5.71%). Further, MEMAC increased the activities of CAT, SOD, and GPx in the liver tissue and decreased the levels of serum NO and TNF-α after carrageenan administration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results showed that MEMAC has the anti-inflammatory property both in vitro and in vivo, suggesting that it may be a potential preventive or therapeutic candidate for the treatment of inflammatory disorders.
authors.affiliation: Taiwan Seed Improvement and propagation Station, Council of Agriculture, Propagation Technology Section, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chi-Luan
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: Chia-Chuan
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Shyh-Shyun
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Chao-Lin
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: Shih-Lan
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Jeng-Shyan
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Guan-Jhong
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D055491:Antrodia / Q000737:chemistry; D002351:Carrageenan; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D000432:Methanol / Q000737:chemistry*; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D025282:Mycelium; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000378:metabolism; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D015850:Interleukin-6; D012997:Solvents; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D002351:Carrageenan; D002374:Catalase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; C496317:Nos2 protein, mouse; C077623:Ptgs2 protein, mouse; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D015232:Dinoprostone; D000432:Methanol