Er-Miao-San, a traditional herbal formula containing Rhizoma Atractylodis and Cortex Phellodendri inhibits inflammatory mediators in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages through inhibition of NF-魏B pathway and MAPKs activation

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• 作者：Gang Chen^a ; Kai-Kai Li^b ; ^c ; Chak-Hei Fung^b ; ^c ; Cheuk-Lun Liu^b ; ^c ; Hing-Lok Wong^b ; ^c ; Ping-Chung Leung^b ; ^c ; ^d ; ^{pingcleung@cuhk.edu.hk" class="auth_mail} ; Chun-Hay Ko^b ; ^c ; ^d ; ^{gohey@cuhk.edu.hk" class="auth_mail}
• 关键词：Er-Miao-San ; Nitric oxide ; Inducible nitric oxide synthase ; P38 ; Nuclear factor-魏B ; Traditional Chinese medicine
• 刊名：Journal of Ethnopharmacology
• 出版年：3 July 2014
• 年：2014
• 卷：154
• 期：3
• 页码：711-718
• 全文大小：1782 K

文摘

Er-Miao-San (EMS) is a traditional Chinese herbal formulation that contains combinations of Rhizoma Atractylodis (RA) and Cortex Phellodendri (CP). It exhibits analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities and have been used for the treatment of various “Bi Zheng” for thousand years in China. The aims of the present study were to investigate the anti-inflammatory activities of EMS and elucidate the underlying mechanisms with regard to its molecular basis of action for the best combination.

Materials and methods

The anti-inflammatory effects of EMS were studied by using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated activation of nitric oxide (NO) and pro-inflammatory cytokine production in mouse RAW264.7 macrophages. Expression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS), mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) phosphorylation, p65 phosphorylation, inhibitor-魏B伪 (I魏B伪) degradation, and NF-魏B DNA-binding activity were further investigated.

Results

The present study demonstrated that EMS could suppress the production of NO in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages. However, CP and RA did not have significant inhibitory effect on them. EMS also inhibited the production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1 beta and macrophage chemotactic protein-1. Further investigations showed EMS could suppress iNOs expression and p38 phosphorylation. EMS significantly decreased the content of I魏B伪, reduced the level of phosphorylated p65 and suppressed the NF-魏B DNA-binding activity. All these results suggested the inhibitory effects of EMS on the production of inflammatory mediators through the inhibition of the NF-魏B pathway.

Conclusions

Our results indicated that EMS inhibited inflammatory events and iNOS expression in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells through the inactivation of the MAPK and NF-魏B pathway. This study gives scientific evidence validating the use of EMS in treatment of patients with “Bi Zheng” in clinical practice in traditional Chinese medicine.