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Evaluation of inhibitory activities of plant extracts on production of LPS-stimulated pro-inflammatory mediators in J774 murine macrophages

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Abstract

Whole plant methanolic extracts of 14 traditionally used medicinal herbs were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory activity. Extracts of Grindelia robusta, Salix nigra, Arnica montana, and Quassia amara showed up to 4.5-fold inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) production in the J774 murine macrophage cells challenged with LPS without cytotoxicity. These four selected extracts significantly reduced the protein levels of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) and the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) as observed by Western blot analysis. Culture supernatants from cells treated with these extracts indicated 3–5-fold reduction of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). However, only G. robusta and Q. amara extracts significantly inhibited (by 50%) IL-1β and IL-12 secretions. Furthermore, all these plant extracts were shown to prevent the LPS-mediated nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB). All the above observations indicate the anti-inflammatory potential of these plant extracts.

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Acknowledgments

Authors wish to thank the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, India for the financial assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Comparative Genomics Unit, Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Delhi University Campus, Mall Road, Delhi, 110007, India

    Nandini Verma, Subhash K. Tripathi, Debasis Sahu, Hasi R. Das & Rakha H. Das

  2. School of Biotechnology, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Kashmere Gate, Delhi, 110403, India

    Rakha H. Das

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  1. Nandini Verma
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  2. Subhash K. Tripathi
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  3. Debasis Sahu
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Correspondence to Rakha H. Das.

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Verma, N., Tripathi, S.K., Sahu, D. et al. Evaluation of inhibitory activities of plant extracts on production of LPS-stimulated pro-inflammatory mediators in J774 murine macrophages. Mol Cell Biochem 336, 127–135 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11010-009-0263-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11010-009-0263-6

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