Methanol extract of Antrodia camphorata protects against lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury by suppressing NF-κB and MAPK pathways in mice

J Agric Food Chem. 2014 Jun 11;62(23):5321-9. doi: 10.1021/jf405113g. Epub 2014 May 29.

Abstract

Antrodia camphorata (AC) has been used as a herbal medicine for drug intoxication for the treatment of inflammation syndromes and liver-related diseases in Taiwan. This study demonstrates the protective effect of the methanol extract of AC (MAC) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) in mice. Mice were treated with MAC 1 h before the intratracheal (I.T.) instillation of LPS challenge model. Lung injury was evaluated 6 h after LPS induction. Pretreatment with MAC markedly improved LPS-induced histological alterations and edema in lung tissues. Moreover, MAC also inhibited the release of pro-inflammatory mediators such as nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), and IL-6 at 6 h in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) during LPS-induced lung injury. Furthermore, MAC reduced total cell number and protein concentrations in the BALF the pulmonary wet/dry weight (W/D) ratio, and myeloperoxidase activity and enhanced superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in lung tissues. MAC also efficiently blocked protein expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and inhibited the degradation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and IκBα. This is the first investigation in which MAC inhibited acute lung edema effectively, which may provide a potential target for treating ALI. MAC may utilize the NF-κB and MAPKs pathways and the regulation of SOD activity to attenuate LPS-induced nonspecific pulmonary inflammation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acute Lung Injury / chemically induced
  • Acute Lung Injury / drug therapy*
  • Acute Lung Injury / genetics
  • Acute Lung Injury / immunology
  • Animals
  • Antrodia / chemistry*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-1beta / genetics
  • Interleukin-1beta / immunology
  • Interleukin-6 / genetics
  • Interleukin-6 / immunology
  • Lipopolysaccharides / adverse effects
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred ICR
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / genetics
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / immunology
  • NF-kappa B / genetics*
  • NF-kappa B / immunology
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / genetics
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / immunology
  • Plant Extracts / administration & dosage*
  • Plant Extracts / isolation & purification
  • Protective Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Protective Agents / isolation & purification
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / genetics
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / immunology

Substances

  • Interleukin-1beta
  • Interleukin-6
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • NF-kappa B
  • Plant Extracts
  • Protective Agents
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases