title: Anti-inflammatory effect of auraptene extracted from trifoliate orange (Poncirus trifoliate) on LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells.
abstract: Poncirus trifoliate is a traditional Chinese medicinal plant used for treating inflammation-related diseases for a long time and trifoliate orange contains abundant auraptene. The present study was to evaluate auraptene as a potential anti-inflammatory agent and investigate the mechanism of auraptene against prostaglandins E2 (PGE2) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells by comparing it with aspirin as a positive control group. The methods of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, reverse transcriptive polymerase chain reaction, real-time PCR, and western-blotting were used in the study. The results showed that auraptene exhibited better biocompatibility and lower cytotoxicity. At the same time, it significantly inhibited the production of PGE2 on LPS-stimulated macrophage cells. The auraptene-treated group had a higher COX-2 mRNA expression but relatively lower COX-2 protein level which implied that auraptene suppressed the post-transcriptional expression of COX-2 protein but not the transcriptional process. Compared with aspirin, the lower cytotoxicity of auraptene can make it a potential source for medicine that can benefit patients who are suffering from chronic inflammatory diseases and need long-term medication.
authors.affiliation: College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences, Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Ministry of Education, Wuhan, 430070, China.
authors.forename: Huiqing
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Zhaocheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Shu'ang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Xiuxin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Deng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001241:Aspirin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002460:Cell Line; D003374:Coumarins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D051379:Mice; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D032104:Poncirus / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D003374:Coumarins; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C077623:Ptgs2 protein, mouse; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C105832:aurapten; D015232:Dinoprostone; D001241:Aspirin