title: Protective effects of the active fraction from the tuber of Scirpus yagara in mouse endotoxin shock model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Scirpus yagara Ohwi is a perennial, aquatic plant, whose dry tubers have long been used as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) "Sanleng" for the treatment of postpartum abdominal pain, hyperemesis gravidarum, amenorrhea, dyspepsia and several inflammatory related diseases. Although it is known to have anti-inflammatory activities, its mechanism of action on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation has not yet been identified in detail.This study was designed to investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of the active fraction (AF) from the tuber of Scirpusyagara both in vitro and in vivo.
  
  
  METHODS
  RAW264.7 macrophage was incubated for 16h with 1µg/ml of LPS in absence or presence of AF (0, 10, 50 and 100µg/ml) and the secretions of tumor necrosis-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the medium were determined by using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In the in vivo study, mice were orally administrated with AF (50 and 300mg/kg) for three days consecutively. 1h after the last AF administration, the mice were intraperitoneally injected with LPS (15mg/kg), and the life span of LPS-challenged mice were determined. Furthermore, the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6 in the serum, lung and liver were measured using ELISA kit, and histological change in lungs was examined by light microscopy. Additionally, the components of AF were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using a C18 column.
  
  
  RESULTS
  AF significantly decreased TNF-α and IL-6 production induced by LPS in RAW264.7 macrophage. In LPS-induced mouse endotoxin shock model, AF pre-treatment significantly improved the survival rate of mice. And LPS-induced increases of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6 in the serum, lung and liver were markedly suppressed by AF. Moreover, the histopathological examination indicated that AF could significantly attenuate lung tissues injury in endotoxemic mice. In addition, eight compounds (protocatechuic acid, vanillic acid, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, methyl-3,6-dihydroxy-2-[2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-ethynyl] benzoate, sciryagarol I, sparstolonin B, SanLeng diphenyllactone) of AF were quantified by HPLC analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggested that AF protected mice against LPS-induced lethality by inhibiting the production of multiple cytokines and organ dysfunction. Thus AF may prove beneficial in the prevention and treatment of endotoxin shock.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China. Electronic address: liangqiaoli2008@163.com.
authors.forename: Qiao-Li
authors.initials: QL
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Dong
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China.
authors.forename: Nuo-Shu
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China.
authors.forename: Qi-Nan
authors.initials: QN
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory for TCM Formulae Research, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China.
authors.forename: Jin-Ao
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Duan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D029785:Cyperaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000633:toxicity; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D035281:Plant Tubers / Q000737:chemistry*; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015996:Survival Rate; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
keywords: Chromatography; Components; Endotoxin shock; Pro-inflammatory cytokines; Scirpus yagara