The anti-inflammatory effect of Gigukjiwhangwhangami through the inhibition of nuclear factor-kappaB activation in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with cerebral infarction

Biol Pharm Bull. 2006 Nov;29(11):2251-5. doi: 10.1248/bpb.29.2251.

Abstract

The Korean genuine medicine "Gigukjiwhangwhangami (GJWGM)" has long been used for various cerebrovascular diseases. However, the exact mechanism that accounts for the anti-inflammatory effect of GJWGM is not completely understood. The aim of the present study is to elucidate how GJWGM modulates the inflammatory reaction in lipopolysaccaride (LPS)-stimulated peripheral mononuclear cells from patients with cerebral infarction. Production of cytokine was measured by the ELISA and RT-PCR method. The level of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB)/Rel A protein and NF-kappaB DNA binding activity were determined by the Western blot analysis and TF-EIA method. We showed that GJWGM inhibited the production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-1alpha, IL-6, and IL-8 induced by LPS in dose dependent manner (p<0.05). Maximal inhibition rate of TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6 and IL-8 production by GJWGM was about 54.34%, 41.37%, 44.04%, and 54.46%, respectively. GJWGM inhibited the TNF-alpha and IL-8 mRNA expression. In addition, we showed that the inhibitory mechanism of GJWGM is through the suppression of NF-kappaB pathway. Our study suggests that an important molecular mechanism by GJWGM reduce inflammation, which may explain its beneficial effect in the regulation of inflammatory reactions.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / chemistry
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / pharmacology*
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cerebral Infarction / blood*
  • Cerebral Infarction / drug therapy
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Female
  • Gene Expression / drug effects
  • Herbal Medicine*
  • Humans
  • Interleukins / genetics
  • Interleukins / metabolism
  • Korea
  • Leukocytes, Mononuclear / cytology
  • Leukocytes, Mononuclear / drug effects*
  • Leukocytes, Mononuclear / metabolism
  • Lipopolysaccharides / pharmacology
  • Male
  • Medicine, East Asian Traditional
  • Middle Aged
  • NF-kappa B / genetics
  • NF-kappa B / metabolism*
  • Phosphorylation / drug effects
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / genetics
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / metabolism

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal
  • Interleukins
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • NF-kappa B
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha