title: The Pharmacological Effects and Mechanism of Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F in Central Nervous System Autoimmunity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Extracts of the Chinese herb Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F (TwHF) have potent anti-inflammatory functions and are widely used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease. They have also been considered as potential drugs in the treatment of multiple sclerosis and its animal model, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) was performed. We reviewed many Chinese- and English-language articles.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Recent studies have indicated that TwHF extracts, such as triptolide and tripchlorolide, are able to attenuate progression of this neuroimmunologic disorder because of their immunoregulatory, neurotrophic, and neuroprotective effects, but use of these extracts is often accompanied by acute and chronic toxicity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This review systematically summarizes the effects, safety consideration, and molecular mechanisms of action of TwHF extracts with regard to their inhibition of microglia activation, T cell functions, and transcriptional activation of nuclear factor (NF)-κB signaling.
authors.affiliation: 1 2011 Collaborative Innovation Center/Research Center of Neurobiology, Shanxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine , Shanxi Province, People's Republic of China .
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: 2 Institute of Brain Science, Shanxi Datong University , Datong, People's Republic of China .
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.affiliation: 1 2011 Collaborative Innovation Center/Research Center of Neurobiology, Shanxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine , Shanxi Province, People's Republic of China .
authors.forename: Aiguo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: 2 Institute of Brain Science, Shanxi Datong University , Datong, People's Republic of China .
authors.forename: Jie-Zhong
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Neurology, Thomas Jefferson University , Philadelphia, PA.
authors.forename: Guang-Xian
authors.initials: GX
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: 1 2011 Collaborative Innovation Center/Research Center of Neurobiology, Shanxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine , Shanxi Province, People's Republic of China .|2 Institute of Brain Science, Shanxi Datong University , Datong, People's Republic of China .
authors.forename: Cun-Gen
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D020274:Autoimmune Diseases of the Nervous System / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015551:Autoimmunity / Q000187:drug effects*; D002460:Cell Line; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D029757:Tripterygium / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D020011:Protective Agents