OBJECTIVE

2

To study the anti-inflammatory effect and mechanism of the ethanol extract and the drug-containing serum of Zhuang medicine

Stahlianthus involucratus

on lipopolysaccharide （LPS）-induced RAW264.7 cell inflammation.

METHODS

2

The drug-containing serum or blank serum was obtained by intragastrical administration of ethanol extract of

S. involucratus

（75.35 g/kg） or purified water. Using RAW264.7 cells as objects， RAW264.7 cells were divided into normal control group， LPS group （1 μg/mL），

S. involucratus

ethanol extract high-dose， medium-dose and low-dose groups （50， 25， 12.5 μg/mL）， 4% or 15% blank serum groups， 4% or 15% blank serum+LPS groups， 4% or 15% drug-containing serum groups， 4% or 15% drug-containing serum+LPS groups. After culturing for 24 h， cell viability， the contents of nitric oxide （NO）， tumor necrosis factor α （TNF-α）， interleukin 1β （IL-1β） and IL-6 as well as mRNA expressions of Toll-like receptor 4 （TLR4） and nuclear factor κB （NF-κB） and protein expressions of nitric oxide synthase （NOS） and cyclooxygenase 2 （COX-2） were all detected in each group.

RESULTS

2

After culturing for 24 h， there was no statistical significance in the difference of cell viability. Compared with normal control group， the contents of NO， TNF-α， IL-1β and IL-6， mRNA expressions of TLR4 and NF-κB， and protein expressions of NOS and COX-2 were increased significantly in LPS group （

P

＜0.05）. Compared with 4% or 15% blank serum groups， the levels of above indexes were increased significantly in 4% or 15% blank serum+LPS groups （

P

＜0.05）. Compared with LPS group， the levels of above indexes were decreased significantly in

S. involucratus

ethanol extract groups （

P

＜0.05）. Compared with 4% or 15% blank serum+LPS groups， the levels of above indexes were decreased significantly in 4% or 15% drug-containing serum+LPS groups （

P

＜0.05）.

CONCLUSIONS

2

The ethanol extract and the drug-containing serum of

S. involucratus

can significantly alleviate LPS-induced inflammatory reaction， the mechanism of which may be associated with inhibiting the activity of TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway， down-regulating the protein expressions of COX-2 and NOS， and reducing the release of inflammatory factors.