title: Elephantopus scaber inhibits lipopolysaccharide-induced liver injury by suppression of signaling pathways in rats.
abstract: Elephantopus scaber (ES, Teng-Khia-U) has been traditionally used for the treatment of nephritis, pain, and fever; however, the direct evidence is lacking. We investigated the effect of ES on lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced inflammation of BV-2 microglial cells and acute liver injury in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Our results showed that ES reduced LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO), interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and prostaglandin (PGE(2)) production in BV-2 cells. ES significantly decreased serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels in LPS-treated rats. Furthermore, the water extract, but not the ethanol extract, of ES dose-dependently inhibited LPS-induced JNK, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK), and slightly inhibited cyclooxygenase (COX-2) in BV-2 cells but decreased p38 MAPK and COX-2 expressions in the liver of LPS-treated rats. Taken together, these results indicate that the protective mechanism of ES involves an antioxidant effect and inhibition of p38 MAP kinase and COX-2 expressions in LPS-stressed acute hepatic injury in SD rats.
authors: Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Tsinghua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan.
authors: Hsiao-Fang
authors: HF
authors: Hung
authors: Chien-Wei
authors: CW
authors: Hou
authors: Yi-Ling
authors: YL
authors: Chen
authors: Chih-Cheng
authors: CC
authors: Lin
authors: Hua-Wen
authors: HW
authors: Fu
authors: Jen-Shu
authors: JS
authors: Wang
authors: Kee-Ching
authors: KC
authors: Jeng
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D019659:Asteraceae; D002460:Cell Line; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D017628:Microglia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D000975:Antioxidants; D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D010936:Plant Extracts; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases