ABSTRACT
Scopoletin (1-50 microg/ml) inhibited the release of PGE2, TNF-alpha, IL-1beta and IL-6 and suppressed the expression of COX-2 in a concentration-dependent manner. These results suggest that scopoletin might suppress the production of such pro-inflammatory cytokines and exert inhibitory activity on LPS-induced PGE2 production through the depression of COX-2 expression.
Subject(s)
Anti-Inflammatory Agents/pharmacology , Artemisia , Macrophages/drug effects , Macrophages/metabolism , Phytotherapy , Scopoletin/pharmacology , Animals , Anti-Inflammatory Agents/administration & dosage , Anti-Inflammatory Agents/therapeutic use , Cell Line/drug effects , Cyclooxygenase 2 , Dinoprostone/metabolism , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Interleukin-1/metabolism , Interleukin-6/metabolism , Isoenzymes/metabolism , Lipopolysaccharides , Mice , Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases/metabolism , Scopoletin/administration & dosage , Scopoletin/therapeutic use , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolismABSTRACT
Fractionation of the MeOH extract of Angelica dahurica Benth et Hook resulted in the isolation of six furocoumarins, imperatorin (1), isoimperatorin (2), (+/-)-byakangelicol (3), (+)-oxypeucedanin (4), (+)-byakangelicin (5), and (+)-aviprin (6). Among these, compounds 1 and 5 exhibited strong hepatoprotective activities, displaying EC(50) values of 36.6 +/- 0.98 and 47.9 +/- 4.6 microM, respectively. Compounds 3 and 4 showed moderate activities with EC(50) values of 112.7 +/- 5.35 and 286.7 +/- 6.36 microM, respectively. Silybin as a positive control showed the EC(50) value with 69.0 +/- 3.4 microM. Comparison of hepatoprotective activities for six furocoumarins 1 - 6 suggested that oxy-substitution at the C-9 position increased the hepatoprotective activity.