title: Anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive properties of Prunus padus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prunus padus Linne has been widely used as a traditional medicine, with beneficial effects in numerous diseases, including stroke, neuralgia and hepatitis. In this study, we demonstrated anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive activities of the methylene chloride fraction of P. padus (MPP).
  
  
  METHODS
  In vitro studies, the anti-inflammatory effects of MPP were examined using IFN-γ/LPS-activated murine peritoneal macrophage model. To confirm the anti-inflammatory effects of MPP in vivo, trypsin-induced paw edema test was also conducted. The anti-nociceptive activities of MPP were measured using various experimental pain models including thermal nociception methods such as the tail immersion test and the hot plate test as well as chemical nociception methods like acetic acid-induced writhing test and formalin test. To determine whether analgesic activity of MPP is connected with the opioid receptor, we carried out combination test with naloxone, a nonselective opioid receptor antagonist.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the current study, MPP showed potent inhibitory effect on IFN-γ/LPS-induced NO production. MPP also suppressed not only iNOS enzyme activity but also iNOS expression. Moreover, MPP inhibited COX-2 expression dose dependently. IFN-γ/LPS stimulation induced the translocation of NF-κB to nucleus but it was attenuated in the presence of MPP. In vivo study revealed that MPP could reduce paw volume after subplantar injection of trypsin. In addition, MPP showed potent analgesic activities both thermal and chemical nociception compared to tramadol and indomethacin. Furthermore, pre-treatment of naloxone slightly suppress the analgesic activity of MPP indicating that MPP acts as a partial opioid receptor agonist.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the present study, MPP showed potent anti-inflammatory properties through not only by suppressing various inflammatory mediators in vitro, but reducing the inflammatory edema in vivo. MPP also exhibited strong anti-nociceptive activities via both central and peripheral mechanism by acting as a partial opioid agonist. Based on these results we suggest that P. padus has the potential to provide a therapeutic approach to inflammation-mediated chronic diseases as an effective anti-inflammatory agent and painkiller.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Woosuk University, Jeonbuk, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Hyuk
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Dong Seok
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Cha
authors.forename: Hoon
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jeon
mesh_terms: D019342:Acetic Acid; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D004487:Edema / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005557:Formaldehyde; D006358:Hot Temperature; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000378:metabolism; D009573:Nitrites / Q000378:metabolism; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018547:Plant Stems; D027861:Prunus; D014357:Trypsin
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D016328:NF-kappa B; D009573:Nitrites; D010936:Plant Extracts; D005557:Formaldehyde; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; C496317:Nos2 protein, mouse; C077623:Ptgs2 protein, mouse; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D014357:Trypsin; D019342:Acetic Acid