ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the mechanism of anti-inflammatory effect of mangiferin.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The model of chronic bronchitis in rat was established by LPS + smoke. The activity of SOD, content of MDA and NO in BALF and serum, content of TNF-alpha and IL-8 were determined. The expression of RAW264.7 macrophage COX-2 mRNA induced by LPS in mice was detected by RT-PCR.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The activity of SOD, the content of NO in BALF and serum in rat with chronic bronchitis were significantly higher with high, medium and low-dose of lg mangiferin (400,200,100 mg x kg(-1)), while the content of MDA, and the content of TNF-alpha and IL-8 in lung tissues were lower. The expression of RAW264.7 macrophage COX-2 mRNA induced by LPS was significantly reduced by mangiferin with 200,100, 50 micromol x L(-1).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The anti-inflammatory mechanism of mangiferin is to relieve inflammation by raising the activity of SOD and content of NO and reducing the content of MDA and the expression of TNF-alpha, IL-8 and COX-2 mRNA.</p>