Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Heat-Processed Artemisia capillaris Thunberg by Regulating IκBα/NF-κB Complex and 15-PGDH in Mouse Macrophage Cells.

Akhtar Ali,Jong-Hyun Lee,Junsik Lim,Shin Seong,En Hyung Kim,Wonnam Kim,Li Zhang

doi:10.1155/2021/5320314

Abstract

Growing evidence suggests that dietary nutrients in herbs and plants are beneficial in improving inflammatory disorders. Artemisia capillaris Thunberg (AC) is a traditional herbal medicine widely used in East Asia to treat pain, hepatotoxicity, and inflammatory disorders. Heat processing is a unique pharmaceutical method used in traditional herbal medicine to enhance the pharmacological effects and safety of medicinal plants. This study demonstrates the anti-inflammatory effects of heat-processed AC (HPAC) in lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) treated mouse macrophage cells. HPAC reduced LPS-induced inflammatory mediators such as IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, NO, and PGE2 in RAW 264.7 cells. Interestingly, 15-PGDH appears to play a pivotal role rather than COX-2 and mPGES-1 when HPAC regulated PGE2 levels. Meanwhile, HPAC showed anti-inflammatory effects by blocking IκBα phosphorylation and NF-κB nuclear translocalization. Also, we found that HO-1 upregulation was mediated by the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways in HPAC-treated RAW 264.7 cells. And, in RAW 264.7 cells challenged with LPS, HPAC restored HO-1 expression, leading to NF-κB inhibition. Through further experiments using specific MAPK inhibitors, we found that, in response to LPS, the phosphorylated IκBα and activated NF-κB were attenuated by p38 MAPK/HO-1 pathway. Therefore, HPAC targeting both the IκBα/NF-κB complex and 15-PGDH may be considered as a potential novel anti-inflammatory agent derived from a natural source.

Highlights

Inflammation is a defensive mechanism which acts by removing harmful stimuli such as pathogens, damaged cells, and toxic compounds
After heat-processed AC (HPAC) treatment, significant cell toxicity was observed at 400 μg/mL, and lower concentrations (5 μg/mL to 200 μg/mL) did not show significant changes (Figure 2(a)). erefore, the concentrations of HPAC ranging from 50 μg/mL to 200 μg/mL were employed for further study
TNF-α, IL- 6, and IL-β cytokines play essential roles in inflammatory responses; we investigated whether HPAC could inhibit secretion of these cytokines in macrophages stimulated by LPS

Summary

Introduction

Inflammation is a defensive mechanism which acts by removing harmful stimuli such as pathogens, damaged cells, and toxic compounds. It consists of several processes mediated by activated inflammatory and immune cells, including macrophages and monocytes, and incorporates a complex series of reactions regulated by cytokines, growth factors, nitric oxide (NO), and prostaglandins (PGs) produced by active macrophages [1, 2]. Uncontrolled acute inflammation may become chronic, contributing to numerous chronic inflammatory diseases, including arthritis, autoimmune diseases, atherosclerosis, and chronic hepatitis [3, 4]. Ere is growing evidence that plant foods rich in dietary nutrients are beneficial by inhibiting inflammatory mediators and treating diseases related to such factors [5, 6]. Studies have described plant-derived dietary flavonoids, such as quercetin and kaempferol, found in different fruits and vegetables exert anti-inflammatory effects by regulating signaling pathways associated with inflammation [10, 11]

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