RESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to investigate the protective effects of Atractylodis Rhizoma pharmacopuncture (ARP) against acute gastric mucosal lesions induced by compound 48/80 in rats. METHODS: The ARP was injected in Joksamni (ST36) and Jungwan (CV12) 1 hr before treatment with compound 48/80. The animals were sacrificed under anesthesia 3 hrs after treatment with compound 48/80. The stomachs were removed, and the amounts of gastric adherent mucus, gastric mucosal hexosamine, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), xanthine oxidase (XO), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured. Also, histological examination were performed. RESULTS: Gastric adherent mucus, gastric mucosal hexosamine and histological defects of gastric mucosa declined significantly after ARP treatment. Changes in gastric mucosal TBARS were also reduced by ARP treatment, but this result was not statistically significant. ARP treatment did not change the XO and the SOD activities. CONCLUSIONS: ARP showed protective effects for acute gastric mucosal lesions induced by compound 48/80 in rats. These results suggest that ARP may have protective effects for gastritis.
RESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: Much evidence exists that herbs have effective immunomodulatory activities. Chrysanthemi Flos (CF) is effective in clearing heat, reducing inflammation, dropping blood pressure and treating headache and is used as a pharmaceutical raw material for an immune enhancer. The purpose of this study was to investigate the modulatory effect of Chrysanthemi Flos pharmacopuncture on nitric-oxide (NO) production in activating macrophages. METHODS: After a murine macrophage cell line, RAW 264.7, was cultured in the presence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), immune-modulating abilities of CF were evaluated by using NO, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) production and phagocytic activity of macrophages. RESULTS: CF enhanced the activities of macrophages by increasing the phagocytic activity and decreasing NO production. Especially, both LPS and CF, 200 ã/ml, treatment could significantly reduce the NO production, but did not change the production of IL-6 and TNF-α. CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicate that CF may be of immunomodulatory value, especially for adverse diseases due to increased NO production. It may have potential for use as immunoenhancing pharmacopuncture.