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Homeopathy 2016; 105(01): 42-47
DOI: 10.1016/j.homp.2015.09.004
Original Paper
Copyright © The Faculty of Homeopathy 2015

Homeopathic Rhus toxicodendron has dual effects on the inflammatory response in the mouse preosteoblastic cell line MC3T3-e1

Kyung Jin Lee
1   Department of Convergence Medicine, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 138-736, South Korea
,
Myeong Gu Yeo
2   Department of Integrative Medical Sciences, Nambu University, Gwangju 506-706, South Korea
› Author Affiliations
Subject Editor:
Further Information

Publication History

Received13 October 2014
revised29 July 2015

accepted21 September 2015

Publication Date:
23 December 2017 (online)

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Background: Homeopathic remedy Rhus toxicodendron (Rhus tox) is used for several symptoms including skin irritations, rheumatic pains, mucous membrane afflictions, and typhoid type fever. Previously, we reported that Rhus tox treatment increased the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) mRNA expression in primary cultured mouse chondrocytes.

Methods: A preosteoblastic mouse cell line, MC3T3-e1, was treated with different homeopathic dilutions of Rhus tox and the COX-2 mRNA and protein expression was examined using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunoblotting. Additionally, nitric oxide (NO) generation was examined in LPS-induced MC3T3-e1 cells using a Griess reaction assay.

Results: Stimulation with different concentrations of Rhus tox increased the expression of Cox2 mRNA, with 30X Rhus tox showing the most prominent increase in mRNA expression. In addition, treatment with 30X Rhus tox significantly increased prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) release compared with other homeopathic dilutions. However, the COX-2 protein expression level differed slightly from its mRNA expression, because the 30C Rhus tox treatment increased COX-2 protein to a greater extent compared with other dilutions. NO generation was dramatically decreased in MC3T3-e1 cells after Rhus tox treatment co-stimulated with lipopolysaccharide.

Conclusion: Homeopathic dilution of Rhus tox has a dual activity that increases COX-2 expression and decreases NO generation, thus modulating inflammation. Further study is needed to examine the cellular signaling mechanisms that are associated with inflammatory regulation by Rhus tox treatment in greater detail.

Keywords

Rhus toxicodendron (Rhus tox) - Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) - Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) - Nitric oxide (NO) generation
 

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