Anti-inflammatory effects of chicanine on murine macrophage by down-regulating LPS-induced inflammatory cytokines in IκBα/MAPK/ERK signaling pathways

Schisandra chinensis Baill is a Chinese traditional medicine with multiple pharmacological activities. In this study, chicanine, one of the major lignan compounds of chinesis, was investigated for suppressive effects on lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced inflammatory responses in murine macrophages (RAW 264.7 cells). Chicanine was found to have anti-inflammatory properties with the inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) and Prostaglandin E (2) (PGE2) production and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B) signaling in LPS stimulated RAW 264.7 cells with no cytotoxic effects. Treatment of RAW 264.7 cells with chicanine down regulated LPS induced expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines including TNF alpha, IL-1 beta, MCP-1, G-CSF, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX 2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). These inhibitory effects were found with the blockage of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), extracellular signal regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK 1/2), and also I kappa B-alpha phosphorylation. These results indicated that anti-inflammatory actions of chicanine in macrophages involved inhibition of LPS induced TLR4-I kappa B alpha/MAPK/ERK signaling pathways. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved