title: Antioxidative effects of cinnamomi cortex: A potential role of iNOS and COX-II.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cinnamomi cortex has wide varieties of pharmacological actions such as anti-inflammatory action, anti-platelet aggregation, and improving blood circulation. In this study, we tested to determine whether the Cinnamomi cortex extract has antioxidant activities.
  
  
  METHODS
  Antioxidative actions were explored by measuring free radical scavenging activity, NO levels, and reducing power. The mechanism of antioxidative action of Cinnamomi cortex was determined by measuring iNOS and COX-II expression in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulated Raw cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventy percent methanolic extract of Cinnamomi cortex exerted significant 1,1-diphenyl--2--picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radicals and NO scavenging activities in a dose-dependent manner. More strikingly, the Cinnamomi cortex extract exerted dramatic reducing power activity (13-fold over control). Production of iNOS induced by LPS was significantly inhibited by the Cinnamomi cortex extract, suggesting that it inhibits NO production by suppressing iNOS expression. Additionally, COX-2 induced by LPS was dramatically inhibited by the Cinnamomi cortex extract.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that 70% methanolic extract of Cinnamomi cortex exerts significant antioxidant activity via inhibiting iNOS and COX-II induction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Dentistry, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea 130-701.
authors.forename: Jin-Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Jeong-Jun
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sung-Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kim