Evaluation of Aloin and Aloe-Emodin as Anti-Inflammatory Agents in Aloe by Using Murine Macrophages

• DOI: 10.1271/bbb.80714
• Publication Date: 2009-04-23T05:59:45Z
• Authors: Mi-Young PARK; Hoon-Jeong KWON; Mi-Kyung SUNG
• Keywords: Lipopolysaccharides; 0301 basic medicine; Emodin; Flavonols; Cell Survival; Macrophages; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; Anthraquinones; Nitric Oxide; Isoflavones; Dinoprostone; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; Cell Line; Mice; 03 medical and health sciences; Cyclooxygenase 2; Animals; RNA, Messenger; Aloe

The aloe ingredients responsible for physiological effects and the concentrations required to exert their biological activities are not fully understood. This study compares the anti-inflammatory effects of aloin and aloe-emodin with other polyphenols. Our results demonstrated that aloe-emodin dose-dependently inhibited inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA expression and nitric oxide (NO) production at 5-40 microM. In addition, the levels of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) mRNA and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production were suppressed by 40 microM aloe-emodin. Aloin also suppressed the production of NO at 5-40 microM, although it did not suppress PGE2 production. The present results indicate that aloin and aloe-emodin possibly suppress the inflammatory responses by blocking iNOS and COX-2 mRNA expression. The anti-inflammatory effect of aloe-emodin was comparable to that of kaempferol and quercetin, indicating aloe-emodin as a possible key constituent responsible for the anti-inflammatory activity of aloe.