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Gleditsia sinensis thorns inhibit the production of NO through NF-κB suppression in LPS-stimulated macrophages

2008; Elsevier BV; Volume: 118; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.jep.2008.05.004

1872-7573

Hyun Hee Ha, Sun Young Park, Woo Shin Ko, Young‐Hee Kim,

Sesquiterpenes and Asteraceae Studies

The thorns of Gleditsia sinensis LAM. (Leguminosae) have been used in traditional medicine for the treatment of inflammatory diseases including swelling, suppuration, carbuncle and skin diseases in China and Korea. In this study, we investigated the mechanism responsible for anti-inflammatory effects of Gleditsia sinensis thorns in RAW 264.7 macrophages. The aqueous extract of Gleditsia sinensis thorns (AEGS) inhibited LPS-induced NO secretion as well as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression, without affecting cell viability. Furthermore, AEGS suppressed LPS-induced NF-κB activation, phosphorylation and degradation of IκB-α, phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). These results suggest that AEGS has the inhibitory effects on LPS-induced NO production and iNOS expression in macrophages through blockade in the phosphorylation of MAPKs, following IκB-α degradation and NF-κB activation.