Abstract
Althaea rosea (Linn.) is a medicinal plant from China and Korea that has been traditionally used to control inflammation, to stop bedwetting and as a mouthwash in cases of bleeding gums. Its flowers are employed medicinally for their emollient, demulcent and diuretic properties, which make them useful in chest complaints. Furthermore, a flower extract decoction is used to improve blood circulation, for the treatment of constipation, dysmenorrhoea, haemorrhages, etc. However, the possible mechanisms of the immune-stimulatory effect remains to be elucidated. Therefore, we investigated the role of Althaea rosea flower (ARF) extracts in the immune-stimulatory effect of macrophages and the underlying mechanisms of action. ARF water extract (ARFW) could dose-dependently increase NO production and cytokines (IL-6 and TNF-α). We also found that ARFW significantly increased the expression of iNOS and COX-2 proteins in RAW264.7 cells. Consistent with these results, MAPK protein (JNK, ERK, p38) expression levels were induced after treatment with ARFW. Additionally, ARFW showed a marked increase in the phosphorylation level of IκBα and subsequent IκBα degradation allowing NF-κB nuclear translocation. These results suggest that the immune-stimulatory effect of A. rosea flower extracts is mediated through the translocation of NF-κB p65 subunit into the nucleus from the cytoplasm and subsequent activation of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and TNF-α) and other mediators (iNOS and COX-2), which occurs mainly through MAPK signalling pathway. Thus, we suggest that ARFW could be considered as a potential therapeutic agent useful in the development of immune-stimulatory compounds.
Highlights
Althaea rosea (Linn.), commonly known as hollyhock or marshmallow is a perennial ornamental plant, which commonly grows in gardens, parks, riverbanks and salt marshes
We demonstrated that Althaea rosea flower (ARF) water extract (ARFW) was involved in modulating the immune response of macrophage via mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) pathway
We examined the effect of ARF extracts on the viability of RAW264.7 cells using MTT
Summary
Althaea rosea (Linn.) (genus Althaea, family Malvaceae), commonly known as hollyhock or marshmallow is a perennial ornamental plant, which commonly grows in gardens, parks, riverbanks and salt marshes. This plant is native to China and is nowadays distributed over many parts over the world in tropical and temperate regions such as the Middle, Near East, Mediterranean and central. A. rosea flowers and roots have long been used in traditional Uyghur medicine for the treatment of several diseases; this plant. The seeds of A. rosea are regularly used by Uyghur physicians for the treatment of kidney and uterus inflammation [5] and flowers are regarded as bleeding stopping, swelling reducing and detoxifying in traditional Uyghur medicine [2]
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