Korean J Urol.  2002 Jun;43(6):480-485.

Inhibitory Effects of Paeonia Suffruticosa on the Expression of Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase Gene in RAW264.7 Macrophages

• Son SY
• Sul CK
• Onyango I

Abstract

PURPOSE
The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of the root cortex of Paeonia suffruticosa, an anti-inflammatory folk medicine, on nitric oxide (NO) synthesis and the induction of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) gene expression in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We studied the effects of the RAW264.7 macrophage cell line of the extract from the root cortex of P. suffruticosa and NO with western blot and northern blot assays.
RESULTS
We found that treatment of RAW264.7 macrophages with the ethylacetate fraction of the ethanolic extract of the root cortex of P. suffruticosa inhibits LPS-induced synthesis of NO in vitro. This effect is dose-dependent and appears to involve the suppression of iNOS gene expression, thereby reducing excessive NO synthesis in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages.
CONCLUSIONS
As NO is a pro-inflammatory molecule and iNOS inhibitors may have therapeutic potential, our findings may explain the anti-inflammatory property of the root cortex of P. suffruticosa. This root has been used in oriental folk medicine for the treatment of various inflammatory diseases with relatively little knowledge regarding its mechanism of anti-inflammatory action.

Keyword

Paeonia suffruticosa; Nitric oxide; Inducible nitric oxide synthase gene; Macrophage

MeSH Terms

Blotting, Northern
Blotting, Western
Cell Line
Ethanol
Gene Expression
Macrophages*
Medicine, Traditional
Nitric Oxide
Nitric Oxide Synthase
Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II*
Paeonia*
Ethanol
Nitric Oxide
Nitric Oxide Synthase
Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II