Astilbe Chinensis ethanol extract suppresses inflammation in macrophages via NF-κB pathway

AbstractBackgroundMacrophages play a crucial role in inflammation.Astilbe chinensisis one of perennial herbs belonging to the genusAstilbe.Plants in the genus have been used for pain, headaches, arthralgia, and chronic bronchitis. However, the effect ofA.chinensison inflammation remains unclear. To study the anti-inflammatory action ofA.chinensisethanol extract (ACE), we investigated the effect of ACE on the production of pro-inflammatory mediators and cytokines in macrophages.MethodsWe evaluated the effectiveness of ACE in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages and thioglycollate (TG)-elicited peritoneal macrophages from male C57BL/6 mice. We measured the levels of pro-inflammatory mediators and cytokines, and examined the anti-inflammatory actions of ACE on nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) pathway in the macrophages. Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence microscopy were used to determine protein level and translocation, respectively.ResultsACE suppressed the output of nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and pro-inflammatory cytokines in stimulated macrophages via inhibiting the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) proteins. ACE suppressed mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). We examined the efficacies of ACE on NF-κB activation by measuring the expressions including IκB kinase (IKK), inhibitor of κB (IκB), and nuclear p65 proteins. In addition, the inhibition of NF-κB p65’s translocation was determined with immunofluorescence assay.ConclusionOur findings manifested that ACE inhibited LPS or TG-induced inflammation by blocking the NF-κB signaling pathway in macrophages. It indicated that ACE is a potential therapeutic mean for inflammation and related diseases.