title: Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Rhapontici Radix Ethanol Extract via Inhibition of NF-κB and MAPK and Induction of HO-1 in Macrophages.
abstract: Rhapontici Radix (RR) has been used in traditional medicine in East Asia and has been shown to have various beneficial effects. However, its biological properties or mechanism on inflammation-related diseases is unknown. The goal of this study was to determine the anti-inflammatory activity and underlying molecular mechanisms of Rhapontici Radix ethanol extract (RRE). The inhibitory effect of RRE on the production of NO, cytokines, inflammatory-related proteins, and mRNAs in LPS-stimulated macrophages was determined by the Griess assay, ELISA, Western blot analysis, and real-time RT-PCR, respectively. Our results indicate that treatment with RRE significantly inhibited the secretion of NO and inflammatory cytokines in RAW 264.7 cells and mouse peritoneal macrophages without cytotoxicity. We also found that RRE strongly suppressed the expression of iNOS and COX-2 and induced HO-1 expression. It also prevented nuclear translocation of NF-κB by inhibiting the phosphorylation and degradation of IκBα. Furthermore, the phosphorylation of MAPKs in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells was significantly inhibited by RRE. These findings suggest that RRE may operate as an effective anti-inflammatory agent by inhibiting the activation of NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways and inducing HO-1 expression in macrophages. Our results suggest that RRE has potential value as candidate to inflammatory therapeutic phytomedicine.
authors.affiliation: Korean Medicine (KM) Application Center, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, 70 Cheomdan-ro, Dong-gu, Daegu 41062, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yun Hee
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-5144-1151
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.affiliation: Korean Medicine (KM) Application Center, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, 70 Cheomdan-ro, Dong-gu, Daegu 41062, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: You-Chang
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.affiliation: Korean Medicine (KM) Application Center, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, 70 Cheomdan-ro, Dong-gu, Daegu 41062, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Won-Kyung
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Korean Medicine (KM) Application Center, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, 70 Cheomdan-ro, Dong-gu, Daegu 41062, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Nam-Hui
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Yim
authors.affiliation: Korean Medicine (KM) Application Center, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, 70 Cheomdan-ro, Dong-gu, Daegu 41062, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jin Yeul
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-8796-0394
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D043843:Leuzea / Q000737:chemistry*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000067996:RAW 264.7 Cells; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D008565:Membrane Proteins; D016328:NF-kappa B; D010936:Plant Extracts; D000431:Ethanol; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1; C496542:Hmox1 protein, mouse; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases