Freshwater Clam Extract Inhibits Inflammatory Responses in LPS-Activated Macrophages by Reducing the Activation of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases and NF-κB

• Published in: Natural product communications 2012-11, Vol.7 (11)
• Main Authors: Hua, Kuo-Feng, Chen, Guan-Ming, Ho, Chen-Lung, Chen, Ming-Chung, Chen, Yi-Lin Sophia, Chen, Wei-Jung, Huang, Jeng-Fang, Perng, Yuan-Shing, Lin, Chai-Ching
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1934-578X; 1555-9475
• DOI: 10.1177/1934578X1200701108

Recent studies demonstrated that freshwater clam (Corbicula fluminea) has lipid-lowering and hepatoprotective activities, but its effect on immune responses has not yet been addressed. Here we showed that ethanol extracts of C. fluminea (ECF) reduced nitrite oxide, interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α in lipopolysaccharide-activated macrophages. Further, ECF was fractionated into n-hexane, ethyl acetate, ethanol, and water soluble fractions. Of these, the ethyl acetate soluble fraction (EACF) had the highest capacity to inhibit pro-inflammatory mediators expression. The underlying mechanisms for the anti-inflammatory activity of EACF were demonstrated as down-regulation of ERK1/2, JNK1/2, and p38 phosphorylation and NF-κB activity. Using gas chromatography-mass spectrometric analysis EACF was found to be composed mainly of fatty acids and steroids. Our results provide evidence that freshwater clam has anti-inflammatory activity, and support the possibility for the development of freshwater clam as a health supplement or adjuvant therapeutic agent for either preventing or treating inflammation related diseases.