title: Effect of the semen extract of Thuja orientalis on inflammatory responses in transient focal cerebral ischemia rat model and LPS-stimulated BV-2 microglia.
abstract: In the central nervous system inflammation is dependent upon the synthesis of various inflammatory mediators by local neurons, astrocytes and especially microglia. In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory activities of the semen extract of Thuja orientalis (Thujae Orientalis Semen; TOS) on transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO)-induced ischemia in rats and the production of inflammatory mediators such as nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) and proinflammatory cytokine, interleukin (IL)-1β in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV-2 mouse microglia. TOS extract significantly decreased the infarction volumes of ischemic brains and also inhibited microglia activation and neuronal death. In addition, TOS extract significantly decreased the production of NO, PGE(2) and IL-1β in LPS-stimulated BV-2 microglia. TOS extract also attenuated the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and IL-1β mRNAs and proteins in activated microglia. Furthermore, TOS extract significantly suppressed the phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 MAPK, and the nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 in activated microglia. Our results indicate that TOS extract is capable of inhibiting microglia activation in an ischemic brain through the down-regulation of inflammatory responses, suggesting that the TOS extract may have therapeutic potential as an anti-inflammatory drug for ischemic stroke.
authors: Oriental Medicine R&D Center, Dongguk University, Gyeongju 780-714,  Republic of Korea.
authors: Hyo Won
authors: HW
authors: Jung
authors: Seok Yong
authors: SY
authors: Kang
authors: Ki Ho
authors: KH
authors: Park
authors: Tae Woo
authors: TW
authors: Oh
authors: Jin Ki
authors: JK
authors: Jung
authors: Song Hee
authors: SH
authors: Kim
authors: Dong-Jun
authors: DJ
authors: Choi
authors: Yong-Ki
authors: YK
authors: Park
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism*; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000378:metabolism; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D017628:Microglia / Q000378:metabolism*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D029783:Thuja; D051996:Transcription Factor RelA / Q000378:metabolism; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D010936:Plant Extracts; D051996:Transcription Factor RelA; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D015232:Dinoprostone