title: Inhibition of inducible nitric oxide synthase and osteoclastic differentiation by Atractylodis Rhizoma Alba extract.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Atractylodis Rhizoma Alba (ARA) has been used in Korean folk medicine for constipation, dizziness, and anticancer agent. In the present study, we performed to test whether the methanolic extract of ARA has antioxidant and antiosteoclastogenesis activity in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  Antioxidant capacities were tested by measuring free radical scavenging activity, nitric oxide (NO) levels, reducing power, and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in response to lipopolysaccharides (LPS). Antiosteoclastogenesis activity was evaluated by performing tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase assay in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The extract exerted significant 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and NO radical scavenging activity, and it exerted dramatic reducing power. Induction of iNOS and NO by LPS in RAW 264.7 cells was significantly inhibited by the extract, suggesting that the ARA extract inhibits NO production by suppressing iNOS expression. Strikingly, the ARA extracts substantially inhibited the receptor activator of NF-κB ligand-induced osteclastic differentiation of LPS-activated RAW 264.7 cells. The ARA extract contains a significant amount of antioxidant components, including phenolics, flavonoids and anthocyanins.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that the methanolic extract of ARA exerts significant antioxidant activities potentially via inhibiting free radicals and iNOS induction, thereby leading to the inhibition of osteoclastogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Dentistry, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sung-Ho
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Dentistry, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sung-Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kim
keywords: Antioxidant; Atractylodis Rhizoma Alba; inducible nitric oxide synthase; nitric oxide; osteolastogenesis; receptor activator of NF-κB ligand