Abstract
The anti-inflammatory effects of glycyrol, a benzofuran coumarin isolated from Glycyrrhizae Radix, were studied. Glycyrol of 5, 25 and 50 microM dose-dependently inhibited nitric oxide (NO) production by down-regulating inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and alleviated cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages, in both the mRNA and the protein. Furthermore, glycyrol dose-dependently decreased the mRNA of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1beta and IL-6. LPS-induced NF-kappaB activation was prevented in RAW264.7 macrophages by inhibition of I-kappaBalpha phosphorylation. In addition, administration of glycyrol (30 and 100 mg/kg, i.p) reduced the thickness of carrageenan-induced mouse-paw edema swelling. Taken together, our results indicate that glycyrol is an important anti-inflammatory constituent of Glycyrrhizae Radix, and that its anti-inflammatory effect is attributed to the inhibition I-kappaBalpha phosphorylation.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Anti-Inflammatory Agents / pharmacology
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Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / isolation & purification
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Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / pharmacology*
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Carrageenan / pharmacology
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Cell Line
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Cell Survival / drug effects
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Cyclooxygenase 2 / drug effects
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Cyclooxygenase 2 / immunology
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Cyclooxygenase 2 / metabolism
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Edema / chemically induced
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Edema / immunology
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Edema / metabolism
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Flavonoids / isolation & purification
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Flavonoids / pharmacology*
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Glycyrrhiza uralensis / chemistry*
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I-kappa B Kinase / drug effects
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I-kappa B Kinase / immunology
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I-kappa B Kinase / metabolism
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Inflammation / immunology*
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Inflammation / metabolism
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Interleukin-1beta / drug effects
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Interleukin-1beta / immunology
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Interleukin-1beta / metabolism
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Interleukin-6 / immunology
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Interleukin-6 / metabolism
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Lipopolysaccharides / pharmacology
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Macrophages / drug effects*
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Macrophages / immunology
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Male
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Mice
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NF-kappaB-Inducing Kinase
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Nitric Oxide / biosynthesis
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Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / drug effects
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Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / metabolism
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Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / drug effects
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Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / immunology
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Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism*
Substances
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Anti-Inflammatory Agents
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Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal
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Flavonoids
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Interleukin-1beta
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Interleukin-6
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Lipopolysaccharides
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glycyrol
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Nitric Oxide
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Carrageenan
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Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II
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Ptgs2 protein, mouse
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Cyclooxygenase 2
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Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
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I-kappa B Kinase