Daphnodorin C isolated from the stems of Daphne kiusiana Miquel attenuates airway inflammation in a mouse model of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Abstract

Background: Since long-term or high-dose use of COPD medication causes adverse effects in patients with COPD, more effective and safer ways to manage COPD symptoms are required. Daphne kiusiana Miquel is a medicinal plant, but its anti-COPD efficacy was little studied.

Purpose: We investigated the anti-COPD activity and molecular mechanism of action of active compounds isolated from D. kiusiana to find drug candidates for COPD.

Methods: We isolated seven compounds (1-7) in an ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fraction from D. kiusiana, and determined that seven compounds effectively control the inflammatory responsiveness in both PMA-stimulated lung epithelial cells (in vitro) and/or in COPD model mice using cigarette smoke- and lipopolysaccharides-exposed animals in vivo.

Results: We show that the ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fraction from D. kiusiana. suppresses inflammatory response in both PMA-stimulated human lung epithelial cells (in vitro) and COPD model mice (in vivo). The EtOAc fraction effectively suppresses various inflammatory responses, such as mucus secretion, ROS production, bronchial recruitment of inflammatory cells, and release of proinflammatory cytokines. Additionally, we isolated three compounds with anti-inflammatory efficacy from the EtOAc fraction, out of which daphnodorin C was the most effective. Finally, we demonstrated that daphnodorin C negatively regulates inflammatory gene expression by suppressing NF-κB and specific MAPK signaling pathways (JNK and p38) in vitro and in vivo.

Conclusions: These results suggest that daphnodorin C could be a promising therapeutic alternative for managing COPD symptoms.

Keywords: COPD; Cigarette smoke; Daphne kiusiana; Daphnodorin C; MAPKs; NF-κB.