Anti-inflammatory potential of Antrodia Camphorata through inhibition of iNOS, COX-2 and cytokines via the NF-κB pathway

• DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2005.06.013
• Publication Date: 2005-07-19T14:39:28Z
• Authors: You-Cheng Hseu; Fang-Yang Wu; Jia-Jiuan Wu; Jing-Yi Chen; Wen-Huei Chang; Fung-Jou Lu; Yu-Ching Lai; Hsin-Ling Yang
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; 0303 health sciences; Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Macrophages; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; NF-kappa B; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; Proteins; Nitric Oxide; Dinoprostone; Cell Line; 3. Good health; Mice; 03 medical and health sciences; Gene Expression Regulation; Cyclooxygenase 2; Animals; Cytokines; Polyporales; Reactive Oxygen Species; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Interleukin-1

Antrodia camphorata (A. camphorata), well known in Taiwan as a traditional Chinese medicine, has been shown to exhibit antioxidant and anticancer effects. In the present study, therefore, we have examined the effects of the fermented culture broth of A. camphorata (25-100 microg/ml) in terms of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production, and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) protein expression in RAW 264.7 macrophages. Our results indicate concentration-dependent A. camphorata inhibition of LPS-induced NO and PGE2 production, without appreciable cytotoxicity on the RAW 264.7 cells. A. camphorata also attenuates the production of LPS-induced tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) and interleukin (IL)-1beta. Furthermore, A. camphorata blocks the IkappaB-alpha degradation induced by LPS. These results indicate that A. camphorata inhibits LPS induction of cytokine, iNOS and COX-2 expression by blocking NF-kappaB activation. Therefore, we report the first confirmation of the anti-inflammatory potential of this traditionally employed herbal medicine in vitro.