The methanol extract of Spiraea prunifolia var. simpliciflora root inhibits the generation of nitric oxide and superoxide in RAW 264.7 cells

• Published in: Journal of ethnopharmacology 1999-12, Vol.68 (1), p.209-217
• Main Authors: So, Hong-Seob, Park, RaeKil, Oh, Hyun-Mee, Pae, Hyun-Ock, Lee, Jae-Hyung, Chai, Kyu-Yun, Chung, Sang-Young, Chung, Hun-Taeg
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analgesics, Non-Narcotic - pharmacology; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Blotting, Western; Cell Survival - drug effects; Cells, Cultured; cultured cells; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; General pharmacology; Interferon-gamma - pharmacology; macrophages; Macrophages - drug effects; Macrophages - metabolism; Medical sciences; medicinal plants; Medicine, Traditional; Methanol - chemistry; Mice; Myristic Acid - pharmacology; Nitric oxide; Nitric Oxide - biosynthesis; Nitric Oxide Synthase - drug effects; Nitric Oxide Synthase - metabolism; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; Pharmacognosy. Homeopathy. Health food; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Plant Roots - chemistry; Solubility; Spiraea prunifolia var . simpliciflora; Superoxide; Superoxides - metabolism; Time Factors; traditional medicine
• ISSN: 0378-8741; 1872-7573
• DOI: 10.1016/S0378-8741(99)00101-4

It is well established that nitric oxide (NO) and superoxide radicals play pivotal roles in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases and fever. This study is undertaken to address whether the methanol extract of Spiraea prunifolia var . simpliciflora root, a traditional medicine as an antipyretic, modulates the generation of NO and superoxide in IFN-γ primed or polymyristic acetate (PMA) stimulated RAW 264.7 cells, respectively. The generation of NO as well as the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) protein from IFN-γ primed RAW 264.7 cells is markedly decreased by the methanol extract in a dose dependent manner. However, the methanol extract does not affect the viability of RAW 264.7 cells, as assessed by methylthiazol-2-yl-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. In addition, the methanol extract suppresses the generation of superoxide in PMA-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells in a dose and a time dependent manner. Taken together, anti-pyretic effects of Spiraea prunifolia var . simpliciflora root extract could result from direct suppression of NO and decreased superoxide generation.