title: Methanol extract of the aerial parts of barley (Hordeum vulgare) suppresses lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory responses in vitro and in vivo.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recently, there has been renewed interest in barley (Hordeum vulgare L. Poaceae) as a functional food and for its medicinal properties.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study examines the anti-inflammatory potential of the active fractions of barley and the mechanisms involved.
  
  
  METHODS
  The macrophages were exposed to 100 μg/mL of each of the barley extracts in the presence of 1 μg/mL lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and after 24 or 48 h of incubation, cells or culture supernatants were analyzed by various assays. The anti-inflammatory potential of barley fractions was also investigated using the LPS-injected septic mouse model. The active constituents in the fractions were identified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The active fractions, named F₄, F₇, F₉ and F₁₂, inhibited almost completely the LPS-induced production of nitric oxide (NO) and inducible NO synthase. Pre-treatment with these fractions at 100 μg/mL diminished the tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels to 19.8, 3.5, 1.2 and 1.7 ng/mL, respectively, compared to LPS treatment alone (41.5 ng/mL). These fractions at 100 μg/mL also suppressed apparently the secretion of interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1β and the DNA-binding activity of nuclear factor-κB in LPS-stimulated cells. Mice injected intraperitoneally with LPS (30 mg/kg BW) showed 20% survival at 48 h after injection, whereas oral administration of the fractions improved the survival rates to 80%. GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of the derivatives of benzoic and cinnamic acids and fatty acids in the fractions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The aerial parts of barley are useful as functional food to prevent acute inflammatory responses.
authors.affiliation: Grassland and Forages Research Center, National Institute of Animal Science, Cheonan, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Ki-Choon
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Jung-Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Sung-Jun
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Bang
authors.forename: Young-Ok
authors.initials: YO
authors.lastname: Son
authors.forename: Beom-Tae
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Dong-Hern
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Seung-Ah
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Minseon
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chae
authors.forename: Da Hye
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jeong-Chae
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D001467:Hordeum / Q000737:chemistry*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D000432:Methanol / Q000737:chemistry; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D035261:Plant Components, Aerial; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018805:Sepsis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D010936:Plant Extracts; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D000432:Methanol