Anti-inflamatory effect of Bletilla striata through the inhibition of inflammatory mediators expression in Raw 264.7 cells

Bletilla striata (BS) is a Korean traditional medicinal herb for the treatment of duodenal and gastric ulcer. Also BS has an effect on arrest of bleeding. But no detailed anti-inflammatory study has been reported. In the present study, we investigated nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production by ELISA as well as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression level by western blotting in LPS-induced Raw 264.7 cells. The expression level of proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and IFN-γ were detected by cytokine array. BS extract and its fractions inhibited significantly proinflammatory cytokines expression level. Also BS chloroform and ethyl acetate fractions inhibited production of NO and PGE2 as well as expression level of iNOS, COX-2 and proinflammatory cytokines in LPS-induced Raw 264.7 cells. These results suggest that BS extract and its fractions have anti-inflammatory effect through the inhibition of iNOS, COX-2 and pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and IFN-γ.

Acknowledgements: This work was supported by the Second Stage of Brain Korea 21 project in 2008, Oriental Medical Science Center.

References: 1. Diao, H. et al. (2008) Journal of Bioscience and Bioengineering 105:85–9.