Anti-inflammatory effects of fermented and non-fermented Sophora flavescens: a comparative study.
BACKGROUND
The roots of Sophora flavescens (Leguminosae) have been used in East Asian countries as an herbal medicine and a food ingredient for thousands of years. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of S. flavescens fermentation on endotoxin-induced uveitis (EIU) in rats.


METHODS
EIU was induced in rats via a footpad injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Immediately after the LPS inoculation, fermented and non-fermented extracts of S. flavescens (FSE and NFSE, respectively) were administered orally, and the aqueous humor was collected from both eyes 24 hours later. The anti-inflammatory effects of FSE and NFSE were examined in terms of regulation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) activation and the expression of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), intercellular cell adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). The regulation of maleic dialdehyde (MDA) levels and polymorphonuclear cell (PMN) infiltration by FSE and NFSE were also examined.


RESULTS
Treatment with FSE significantly inhibited LPS-induced increases in IL-1β and TNF-α production and the expression of iNOS, ICAM-1 and COX-2. Moreover, FSE suppressed LPS-induced NF-κB activation, and reduced both MDA levels and infiltration by PMN.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that solid state fermentation may enhance the anti-inflammatory effects of S. flavescens.
School of Pharnnacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, People’s Republic of China.
Chun-chao
CC
Han
Hong
H
Wei
Jianyou
J
Guo
D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism; D003302:Coprinus / Q000378:metabolism; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005285:Fermentation; D006801:Humans; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D029909:Sophora / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000382:microbiology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D014605:Uveitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D016328:NF-kappa B; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2