Abstract
The genus Epilobium consists of approximately 200 species that are distributed worldwide. Some of these herbs have been used for the treatment of diarrhea, infection, irritation, and other disorders associated with inflammation. Unlike that of other Epilobium species, there is little scientific understanding of the pharmacological effect of Epilobium amurense subsp. cephalostigma (Hausskn.) C. J. Chen, Hoch & P. H. Raven. In this study, we demonstrated the anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties of an E. amurense 95% ethanol extract (EACEE) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages, and observed the underlying mechanism of this effect. We measured the productions of nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species, and examined the actions of EACEE on transcription factors in the macrophages. EACEE reduced NO production and inducible nitric oxide synthase protein levels via the inhibition of the nuclear factor (NF)-κB pathway. Additionally, EACEE suppressed redundant reactive oxygen species production and regulated nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2/heme oxygenase-1 (Nrf2/HO-1) signaling. Furthermore, EACEE significantly inhibited the phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). Overall, these results indicate that EACEE exerts anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects via the activation of Nrf2/HO-1 and inhibition of NF-κB/p38 MAPK signaling.
Highlights
The Epilobium genus (Onagraceae) consists of approximately 200 species that are distributed worldwide (e.g., Europe, America, Africa, and northern Asia)
Antibodies for inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2, phospho-extracellular signal-regulated kinases (p-ERK), ERK, phospho-c-Jun N-terminal kinase (p-JNK), JNK, phospho-p38 (p-p38), p38, p65, poly [ADP-ribose] polymerase-1, α-tubulin, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), Nox4, NQO1, and β-actin were purchased from Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Inc. (Dallas, TX, USA)
Production in LPS-stimulated macrophages, cells were pretreated with Epilobium amurense 95% ethanol extract (EACEE) for 1 h and stimulated with LPS for 48 h
Summary
The Epilobium genus (Onagraceae) consists of approximately 200 species that are distributed worldwide (e.g., Europe, America, Africa, and northern Asia). Epilobium species were used in folk medicine in Europe and North America. Because of its demollient and emollient properties, Epilobium herbs have been used for the treatment of diarrhea, infection, irritation, and inflammation. The extract of Epilobium parviflorum and Epilobium roseum possess radical scavenging activity, which indicates the antioxidant effects of Epilobium herbs [1]. This evidence suggests that Epilobium herbs are potential anti-inflammatory agents. H. Raven, which is a flowering plant that grows in China and the Republic of
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