title: Fruits extracts of Hovenia dulcis Thunb. suppresses lipopolysaccharide-stimulated inflammatory responses through nuclear factor-kappaB pathway in Raw 264.7 cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the anti-inflammatory effects and the action mechanism of the fruits of Hovenia dulcis (H. dulcis) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced mouse macrophage Raw 264.7 cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  The extract of H. dulcis fruits (EHDF) were extracted with 70% ethanol. Mouse macrophages were treated with different concentrations of EHDF in the presence and absence of LPS (1 μg/mL). To demonstrate the inflammatory mediators including nitric oxide, inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 expression levels were analyzed by using in vitro assay systems. COX-derived pro-inflammatory cytokines including interleukin-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α and prostaglandin E2 were determined using ELISA kits. Cell viability, heme oxygenase-1 expression, nuclear factor-kappaB and nuclear factor E2-related factors 2 translocation were also investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  EHDF potently inhibited the LPS-stimulated nitric oxide, inducible nitric oxide synthase, COX-2, interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α expression in a dose-dependent manner. EHDF suppressed the phosphorylation of inhibited kappaB-alpha and p65 nuclear translocation. Treatment of macrophage cells with EHDF alone induced the heme oxygenase-1 and nuclear translocation of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that the ethanol extract of H. dulcis fruit exerts its anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting inhibited kappaB-alpha phorylation and nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-kappaB.
authors.affiliation: Department of Acupoint, College of Korean Medicine, Dongguk University, Siksa-dong, Ilsan, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do 10326, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Ju-Yeon
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Acupoint, College of Korean Medicine, Dongguk University, Siksa-dong, Ilsan, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do 10326, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jin-Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.affiliation: Department of Prescription, College of Korean Medicine, Dongguk University, Siksa-dong, Ilsan, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do 10326, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sun-Dong
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostics, College of Korean Medicine, Dongguk University, Siksa-dong, Ilsan, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do 10326, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Won-Hwan
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostics, College of Korean Medicine, Dongguk University, Siksa-dong, Ilsan, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do 10326, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: hyuckkim@dongguk.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Hyuck
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, College of Korean Medicine, Dongguk University, Siksa-dong, Ilsan, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do 10326, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: herbqueen@dongguk.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Jai-Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Kim
keywords: Fruits of Hovenia dulcis; Heme oxygenase-1; Inflammation; Macrophage; Nuclear factor-kappaB