Anti-inflammatory effects of three kinds of traditional Mongolian medicine monomer and its combination on LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Traditional Mongolian Medicine (TMM) exhibits useful biological activities including antifungal, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory actions. The mechanisms of TMM in anti-inflammation were still unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the three main monomers (geniposide, gallate, berberine hydrochloride and a mixture of them) of a traditional Mongolian medicine on cell survival and the proinflammatory cytokines signaling pathways which are activated by bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Mouse macrophage-like cell line RAW264.7 was used as a model of inflammation to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of three TMM momomers and their combination. RT-PCR and Western blot was used to quantify the change of mRNA and protein levels of cytokines, Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4) and Nuclear Factor-κB (NF-κB) and its inhibitor IκB. The non-radioactive electrophoresis mobility shift assay (EMSA) was used to evaluate the binding activity of NF-κB. RESULTS: The monomers and their combination exhibited a potent anti-inflammatory effect for suppressing the LPS-evoked secretion of proinflammatory cytokines IL-1ß, IL-6 and TNFα. Furthermore, the monomers and their combination attenuated activation of NF-κB and expression of TLR4 at both mRNA and protein levels, the upstream player of the LPS-TLR4-cytokines/ NF-κB signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS: The Mongolia herbal compound exerts a potent anti-inflammatory effect and could potentially be developed as a useful agent for the chemo-prevention of inflammatory diseases.