title: Anti-inflammatory effects of Hwang-Heuk-San, a traditional Korean herbal formulation, on lipopolysaccharide-stimulated murine macrophages.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hwang-Heuk-San (HHS), a Korean traditional herbal formula comprising four medicinal herbs, has been used to treat patients with inflammation syndromes and digestive tract cancer for hundreds of years; however, its anti-inflammatory potential is poorly understood. The aim of the present study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of HHS using a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated RAW 264.7 macrophage model.
  
  
  METHODS
  The inhibitory effects of HHS on LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) production were examined using Griess reagent and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) detection kits. The effects of HHS on the expression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS), IL-1β and TNF-α, their upstream signal proteins, including nuclear factor κB (NF-κB), mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), and activator protein (AP-1), were also investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A noncytotoxic concentration of HHS significantly reduced the production of NO, IL-1β and TNF-α in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells, which was correlated with reduced expression of iNOS, IL-1β and TNF-α at the mRNA and protein levels. HHS efficiently blocked the phosphorylation of MAPKs, especially that of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) but not that of the p38 MAPK. The reduced production of inflammatory molecules by HHS was followed by decreased activity of NF-κB and AP-1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that HHS may offer therapeutic potential for treating inflammatory diseases accompanied by macrophage activation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Dongeui University College of Korean Medicine, 52-57, Yangjeong-ro, Busanjin, Busan, 614-052, Republic of Korea. fungky80@nate.com.|Anti-Aging Research Center, Dongeui University, 176 Eomgwangno Busanjin-gu, Busan, 614-714, Republic of Korea. fungky80@nate.com.
authors.forename: Hye Joo
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Dongeui University College of Korean Medicine, 52-57, Yangjeong-ro, Busanjin, Busan, 614-052, Republic of Korea. hongsh@deu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Su Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Department of physiology, College of Korean Medicine, Dongeui University, Busan, 614-714, Republic of Korea. ghkang@deu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Kyung-Hwa
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Dongeui University, 176 Eomgwangno Busanjin-gu, Busan, 614-714, Republic of Korea. parkch@deu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Cheol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Anti-Aging Research Center, Dongeui University, 176 Eomgwangno Busanjin-gu, Busan, 614-714, Republic of Korea. choiyh@deu.ac.kr.|Department of Molecular Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Dongeui University, 176 Eomgwangno Busanjin-gu, Busan, 614-714, Republic of Korea. choiyh@deu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Yung Hyun
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Choi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D007723:Korea; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000276:immunology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000276:immunology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D000067996:RAW 264.7 Cells; D018808:Transcription Factor AP-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D016328:NF-kappa B; D010936:Plant Extracts; D018808:Transcription Factor AP-1; D009569:Nitric Oxide