Acanthopanax koreanum roots inhibit the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, inducible nitric oxide synthase, and cyclooxygenase-2 in RAW 264.7 macrophages

Abstract

Acanthopanax koreanum is a popular plant found onJejuIsland, Korea and is commonly used to prevent the side effects of consumption of alcoholic beverages. However, this plant has not been properly utilized as a medicinal material. In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of the 70% ethanol extract of A. koreanum roots (AKR-E). The results indicated that the AKR-E (200μg/mL) inhibited the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced production of nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in RAW 264.7 macrophages by 41.2% and 78.9%, respectively. These effects were accompanied by concentration-dependent decreases in the expression levels of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) proteins. Additionally, the AKR-E inhibitedthe expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-6 (22.7%) and IL-1β (74%). These data showed that the AKR-E had protective effects against the induction of LPS-induced inflammation in RAW 264.7 macrophages.