title: [Anti-inflammatory effect and mechanism of artemisinin and dihydroartemisinin].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study and compare the anti-inflammatory effect and molecular mechanism of artemisinin and dihydroartemisinin.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mouse mononuclear macrophage RAW264.7 cells were stimulated to release inflammatory mediators such as TNF-alpha, IL-6 and NO, in order to assess the drugs' inhibitory effect on macrophage's release of above inflammatory mediators. The levels of TNF-alpha and IL-6 were determined by ELISA and the cytotoxicity was determined by MTT method. The protein expression of iNOS, COX-2 and beta-actin were tested by Western blot. The enzymatic activity of COX-2 was determined by colorimetric method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Dihydroartemisinin significantly inhibited LPS-induced release of TNF-alpha, IL-6 and NO from RAW264.7 in mice with the concentration range of 12.5 - 100 micromol x L(-1), and showed good dose dependence. Artemisinin only inhibited the IL-6 release to a certain extent.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dihydroartemisinin inhibits macrophages from releasing inflammatory factors TNF-alpha and IL-6 and inflammatory mediators NO by down-regulating iNOS protein. Artemisinin may help dihydroartemisinin to show its anti-inflammatory effect through metabolism.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Yantai University, Yantai 264005, China.
authors.forename: Wan-ying
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Wei-juan
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Kan
authors.forename: Peng-xia
authors.initials: PX
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Min-min
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ji-shuai
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D037621:Artemisinins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002460:Cell Line; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000276:immunology; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000276:immunology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D037621:Artemisinins; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D009569:Nitric Oxide; C039060:artenimol; C031327:artemisinin