Differences in anti-inflammatory effects between two specifications of Scutellariae Radix in LPS-induced macrophages in vitro / 中国天然药物

Scutellariae Radix (SR), the root of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, is used as an antipyretic drug and has been demonstrated to have anti-inflammatory activity. SR is divided into two specifications, "Ku Qin" (KQ) and "Zi Qin" (ZQ), for use against different symptoms (upper energizer heat or lower portion of the triple energizer), according to the theory of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). However, differences in the efficacies of these two specifications have not been determined. In the present study, we aimed to characterize the differences in the anti-inflammatory activities between KQ and ZQ and to explore how their differences are manifested in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced macrophages. Our results showed that, in RAW264.7 cells (a mouse macrophage cell line derived from ascites), KQ and ZQ displayed anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting the release of nitric oxide (NO), inducible NOS (iNOS), and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) in a dose-dependent manner without distinction. In NR8383 cells (a rat alveolar macrophage cell line), KQ and ZQ displayed similar effects on NO, iNOS, and NF-κB as seen in RAW264.7 cells, but KQ showed a higher inhibition rate for NO and iNOS than that shown by ZQ at the same concentration. These results indicated that there were differences in efficacy between KQ and ZQ in treating lung inflammation. Our findings provided an experimental evidence supporting the different uses of KQ and ZQ in clinic, as noted in ancient herbal records.

Effect of the phagocytosis function on NR8383 ceil exposed to cigarette smoke extracts / 中华微生物学和免疫学杂志

Objective To investigate the phagocytosis function of cigarette smoke extracts (CSE)on the NR8383 cells. Methods The concentration of CSE and the optimal time was defined by cell counting kit-8 assay, Annexin V/PI cell apoptosis assay and CFSE cell proliferation assay. The cell was gained after exposed to the different concentration of CSE for 24 h and mixed with fluorescein-labeled Escherichia coli in 37℃ for 2 h. The fluorescence intensity was used to assay the phagocytosis function of NR8383 cells.Results The phagocytosis function of NR8383 cells may be changed by the concentration of CSE. In the concentration of 100 μg/ml, the phagocytosis function of NR8383 was enhanced 0.5 times than the normal cell when NR8383 cell was exposed to CSE, and the specific activity is the highest. When NR8383 cells were exposed to CSE and LPS, the phagocytosis function of NR8383 cells was enhanced 2 times than the normal cell. In the concentration of 200 μg/ml, the phagocytosis function of NR8383 cells was damaged, the rate of apoptosis is the 54. 1%. Conclusion Low concentration of CSE enhanced the phagocytosis function of NR8383 cells, but high concentration of CSE damaged the phagocytosis function of NR8383 cells. This study reveals a new role of CSE as an activator of macrophage function.