title: HS-23, Lonicera japonica extract, attenuates septic injury by suppressing toll-like receptor 4 signaling.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lonicera japonica Thunberg is a traditional herbal medicine widely used in East Asia as an anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral agent. This study was designed to investigate the effects of HS-23, ethanol extract of the dried flower buds of Lonicera japonica, in experimental models of sepsis and elucidate the mechanisms of action of HS-23.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male ICR mice were intravenously administered HS-23 (20 and 40 mg/kg) for 0 (immediately) and 24 h after cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) for survival tests, and HS-23 (40 mg/kg) immediately after CLP for biochemical assays.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HS-23 improved sepsis-induced mortality, enhanced bacterial clearance, and attenuated multiple organ failure. The mechanisms of action of HS-23 included attenuation of increased toll-like receptor (TLR)4 protein and mRNA expression. HS-23 suppressed sepsis-induced increases in protein expression of myeloid differentiation primary response protein 88, p38 and c-Jun N-terminal kinase in both liver and lung, as well as TIR-domain-containing adapter-inducing interferon-β and interferon regulatory transcription factor 3 protein expression in liver.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study revealed that HS-23 attenuated sepsis through suppression of TLR signaling pathways. Therefore, our findings suggest that HS-23 might be useful as a potential therapeutic agent for treatment of sepsis.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 440-746, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: So-Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 440-746, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Seong-Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: Department of New Drug Development, Huons Co., Ltd., Ansan 426-791, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Young-Mok
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of New Drug Development, Huons Co., Ltd., Ansan 426-791, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sung-Woon
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Botanical Drug Research Team, Huons Co., Ltd., Ansan 426-791, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Hum
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Yeon
authors.affiliation: Botanical Drug Research Team, Huons Co., Ltd., Ansan 426-791, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kang-In
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Choe
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 440-746, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: sunmee@skku.edu.
authors.forename: Sun-Mee
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D031239:Lonicera / Q000737:chemistry*; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009102:Multiple Organ Failure / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D018805:Sepsis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4 / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C493487:Tlr4 protein, mouse; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4; C588038:lonicerae flos
keywords: Cecal ligation and puncture; Lonicera japonica; MyD88-dependent pathway; MyD88-independent pathway; Sepsis; Toll-like receptor