It is well-known that cultivated wild Panax ginseng has anti-inflammatory effect. However, a comparative study on cultivation period vs biofunctionality is currently lacking. In this study, 70% ethanol extracts of 3-years (yrs)-, 5-yrs-, or 7-yrs-old cultivated wild ginseng were evaluated for their inhibitory effects on RAW264.7 murine macrophages. Specifically, the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-6 [IL-6] and tumor necrosis factor-alpha [TNF-α]), the expression of surface proteins (CD80, CD86, and MHC-II), and the phagocytic properties were investigated. RAW264.7 cells were induced by 500 ng/mL of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and treated with 0.1, 1, and 10 ppm of samples. LPS-induced IL-6, TNF-α and surface proteins in all samples were downregulated in a dose-dependent manner. Both IL-6 and TNF-α were significantly reduced at 10 ppm of the 7-yrsold sample compared to 10 ppm of 3-yrs- and 5-yrs-old samples. CD80 and CD86 were also reduced at 10 ppm of all samples, and there was no difference among samples. The phagocytosis has no difference except in 10 ppm of 3 yr-old sample. The results suggest that cultivated wild ginseng extract has anti-inflammatory effect without decreasing phagocytosis.

말뼈추출물은 다양한 골질환의 예방과 치료에 탁월한 효능이 있다고 이전에 보고되었다. 하지만 말뼈 추출물의 다른 약리학적 효능에 대해서는 아직 자세히 밝혀지지 않고있다. 본 연구에서는 말뼈추출물이 중요한 항산화 인자인 hemeoxygenase-1(HO-1)의 발현을 상승시킬 수 있는지, 만약 발현이 증가한다 면 HO-1의 상향 조절이 대식세포에서 항염증 효과를 매개할 수 있는지에 관하여 조사하였다. 이를 위 해서 nitric oxide(NO) 농도측정, 세포 생존능 측정, DPPH 라디칼 소거능 검사를 시행하였다. 또한 염 증성 사이토카인 유전자 발현과 단백질 발현을 측정하기 위해 real time PCR과 Western blotting을 시행하였다. 말뼈추출물은 lipopolysaccharide(LPS, 0.1μg/ml)로 자극한 대식세포주인 RAW264.7 세포 에서 어떠한 세포독성 없이 NO의 생성을 유의성 있게 억제하였으며 inducible nitric oxide(iNOS)와 cyclooxygenase 2(COX-2)의 발현을 억제하였다. 뿐만 아니라 말뼈 추출물은 염증성 사이토카인인 tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α와 interleukin(IL)-1β의 발현을 억제하였으며 ERK, JNK 및 p-38 MAPK의 단백질 인산화를 억제하였다. 그리고 말뼈추출물은 HO-1과 NF-E2-related factor-2 (Nrf-2) 의 발현을 증가시켰고 이것은 말뼈추출물이 가지고 있는 항 염증효과를 매개할 수 있는 것으 로 보인다. 즉, 말뼈추출물이 HO-1의 발현을 상향 조절한 반면 ERK1/2의 신호전달 경로에 손상을 주 는 것으로 확인되었으며 이러한 말뼈추출물의 효과가 최종적으로 세포손상과 세포의 과산화 자극으로부 터 세포를 보호 할 수 있는 것으로 사료된다.

Nitric oxide(NO) is synthesized via the oxidation of L-arginine by a family of nitric oxide synthases(NOS), which are either constitutive(cNOS) or inducible(iNOS). The induction of iNOS in tissues can lead to the sustained production of high concentrations of NO which may exert pro-inflammatory effects including vasodilation, edema, cyototoxicity, and its activity can be mediated by various pro-inflammatory cytokine, including interferonγ(INF- γ), tumor necrosis factor, IL-1 and IL-6. The enzyme, iNOS, became a new target for pharmacologcal research with the aim to find new substances for the treatment of chronic inflammatory disorders. Murine macrophages produce large amounts of NO when activated with TFN-γ plus LPS. Murine macrophage-like cell line, RAW 264.7, is a suitable cell model to perform in vitro studies regarding the iNOS system. Artemisin feddei Lev. et Vnt.(Compositae) is a perennial herb growing in Korea. The aerial parts have been used in foik medicine as antiinflammatory, antipyretic, choleretic and diuretic agent. Sesquiterpenelactones were isolated from this plant. In the course of screening for NO inhibitory activity from medicnial plants, the aqueous extract of this plant was found to have a significant activity.

Curcumin, a polyphenolic antioxidant purified from turmeric, has been known to possess various biological activities such as anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects. In this study, we have explored anti-inflammatory effect of curcumin using Gram (-) bacterium-derived endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide: LPS) and macrophage cell line RAW264.7. Curcumin suppressed NO production in LPS-activated RAW264.7 cells in a dose-dependent manner, Curcumin also blocked the activation of NF-kB but not AP-1 according to luciferase assay. Furthermore, this compound suppressed the phosphorylation of a series of intracellular signaling components such as Src, JAK-2, Akt, IKK and IkBα under LPS stimulation in a time dependent manner, Therefore, our data suggest that curcumin was able to protect the host from Gram(-) bacterial-infection-mediated inflammatory symptoms.