Anti-inflammatory effects of aqueous extract from Dichroa febrifuga root in rat liver

Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2003 Feb;24(2):127-32.

Abstract

Aim: To study the anti-inflammatory effects of aqueous extract from Dichroa febrifuga root (AEDF) for suppression in the process of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced sepsis in the rat liver.

Methods: The inhibitory effect of AEDF on the alteration of inflammatory proteins was investigated by Western blot and immunohistochemical analysis.

Results: Western blot analysis showed that the level of nuclear factor (NF)-kappaBp65 was markedly up-regulated and (I)-kappaBalpha was down-regulated by LPS (8 mg/kg) challenge. However, AEDF 100 mg/kg inhibited induction of NF-kappaBp65 and degradation of I-kappaBalpha in the liver of LPS-challenged rats. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that while the expression of the NF-kappaBp65, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) tended to increase, that of I-kappaBalpha was decreased in the hepatocytes of rats challenged with LPS. A slight decline of NF-kappaBp65, TNF-alpha and iNOS, but an increase of I-kappaBalpha were observed in the hepatocytes of the rats pretreated with AEDF.

Conclusion: AEDF may act as a therapeutic agent for inflammatory disease through a regulation of inflammation-related proteins.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / isolation & purification
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / pharmacology*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal / isolation & purification
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal / pharmacology*
  • I-kappa B Proteins / metabolism
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Liver / pathology*
  • Male
  • NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha
  • NF-kappa B / antagonists & inhibitors
  • NF-kappa B / metabolism*
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase / metabolism
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II
  • Plant Roots / chemistry
  • Plants, Medicinal / chemistry
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Saxifragaceae / chemistry*
  • Transcription Factor RelA
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / metabolism

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal
  • I-kappa B Proteins
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • NF-kappa B
  • Nfkbia protein, rat
  • Transcription Factor RelA
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II
  • Nos2 protein, rat