Choi, Young-Kwang; Park, Sung-Ho; Seo, Il-Bok; Kim, Ho-Hyun; Kim, Jeong-Seon; Kim, Ee-Hwa

Objective : Recently, Herbal-acupuncture therapeutics has been used for the treatment of inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. Especially, we have been interested in chemical mediators concerned with inflammation such as prostaglandin, cytokine, nitric oxide. The purpose of this study is investigated that the effect of Scutellariae Radix-acupuncture solution in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages, performed several expeimental items : those are prostaglandin E. nitric oxide and cyclooxygenase-2. Method : The cytotoxicity of Scutellariae Radix-acupuncture solution in RAW 264.7 macrophages were measured by MTT-based cytotoxicity assay. In order to observe cyclooxygenase-2 mRNA expression in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages, RT-PCR was used. Prostaglandin formation and nitric oxide production was measured by competitive enzyme immunoassay and Griess assay. Results : 1. The MTT assay demonstrated that cytotoxic effect of Scutellariae Radix-acupuncture solution in RAW 264.7 macrophages were not appeared before concentration of 5mg/mL 2. Scutellariae Radix-acupuncture solution inhibited cyclooxygenase-2 mRNA expression in lipopolysaccharide-treated RAW 264.7 macrophages. 3. Scutellariae Radix-acupuncture solution inhibited nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide-treated RAW 264.7 macrophages. 4. Scutellariae Radix-acupuncture solution inhibited prostaglandin formation in lipopolysaccharide-treated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Conclusion : On the basis of these results, It was shown that Scutellariae Radix-acupuncture solution is significantly able to inhibit the production of and NO, as well as COX-2 mRNA expression. Our results may provide new mechanism by which Scutellariae Radix-acupuncture solution accounts for its beneficial effect on accelerating wound healing and anti-inflammation.

Scutellariae Radix; Herbal acupuncture; Rheumatoid arthritis; Nitric oxide; Prostaglandin E2

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