Scutellaria baicalensis alleviates cantharidin-induced rat hemorrhagic cystitis through inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 overexpression.
Cantharidin, an active component in mylabris, is used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to treat scabies and hepatoma, but accompanied by hemorrhagic cystitis. Evidence shows that cantharidin induces human bladder carcinoma cell death through COX-2 overexpression in vitro. In TCM, Scutellaria baicalensis is usually used to cure mylabris-induced hematuria. This work was undertaken to determine the mechanisms of cantharidin-induced rat hemorrhagic cystitis and explore the uroprotective effect of S. baicalensis. In vitro results showed cantharidin could induce cytotoxicity through prostaglandin (PG)E₂ overproduction of T24 cells. Boiling-water extract of S. baicalensis (SB-WE) could significantly inhibit PGE₂ production and COX-2 expression in lipo-polysaccharide-induced RAW 264.7 cells, indicating obvious anti-inflammatory abilities. In vivo results indicated that cantharidin caused rat hemorrhagic cystitis with hematuria via c-Fos and COX-2 overexpression. SB-WE was given orally to cantharidin-treated rats, whereby hematuria level, elevated PGE₂ and COX-2 protein overexpression were significantly and dose-dependently inhibited by SB-WE. The anti-inflammatory components of SB-WE are baicalin and wogonin, whose contents were 200.95 ± 2.00 and 31.93 ± 0.26 μg/mg, respectively. In conclusion, cantharidin induces rat cystitis through c-Fos and COX-2 over-expression and S. baicalensis can prevent the resulting hematuria because of its anti-inflammatory effects.
Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Chi Mei Medical Center, No.21, Taikang, Liuying Dist., Tainan City 73657, Taiwan.
Steven Kuan-Hua
SK
Huan
Kun-Teng
KT
Wang
Shauh-Der
SD
Yeh
Chia-Jung
CJ
Lee
Li-Chun
LC
Lin
Der-Zen
DZ
Liu
Ching-Chiung
CC
Wang
D000818:Animals; D002193:Cantharidin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D016923:Cell Death; D002460:Cell Line; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003556:Cystitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D051379:Mice; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011786:Quality Control; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D031364:Scutellaria baicalensis / Q000737:chemistry*
D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors; D010936:Plant Extracts; C499814:Scutellaria baicalensis extract; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D002193:Cantharidin