Anti-inflammatory Activities of Cheongpyehwadam-tang

  • Kwak Sang-Ho (Department of Gynecology, College of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon University) ;
  • Kim Ji-Young (Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Chosun University) ;
  • Han Eun-Hee (Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Chosun University) ;
  • Oh Kyo-Nyeo (Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Chosun University) ;
  • Kim Dong-Hee (Department of Pathology, College of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon University) ;
  • Jeong Hye-Gwang (Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Chosun University) ;
  • Yoo Dong-Youl (Department of Gynecology, College of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon University)
  • Published : 2005.10.01

Abstract

In oriental medicine, Cheongpyehwadam-tang (CHT) has long been used for the cure of inflammatory diseases in the lung and bronchus such as bronchitis, bronchial asthma, pneumonia and tuberculosis. It's use is currently further extended for the treatment of allergic asthma. To investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of CHT, we investigated the effects of CHT on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) and pro-inflammatory cytokines ($TNF-{\alpha}$, IL-6, and $IL-1{\beta}$) production, and on the level of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and proinflammatory cytokines expression in murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. CHT alone did not affect NO or pro-inflammatory cytokines production. In contrast, CHT inhibited LPS-induced NO and proinflammatory cytokines and the levels of LPS-induced iNOS and proinflarnmatory cytokine mRNA in a dose-dependent manner. CHT also inhibited the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kB) activation. Taken together, these results suggested that CHT inhibits the production of NO and pro-inflammatory cytokines in RAW 264.7 cells through blockade of NF-kB activation.

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