Anti-Inflammatory Activities of a Chinese Herbal Formula IBS-20 In Vitro and In Vivo

• Published in: Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine 2012-01, Vol.2012 (2012), p.1-12
• Main Authors: Yang, Zhonghan, Grinchuk, Viktoriya, Ip, Paul Siu-Po, Che, Chun-Tao, Fong, Harry H. S., Lao, Lixing, Wu, Justin C. Y., Sung, Joseph J. Y., Berman, Brian, Shea-Donohue, Terez, Zhao, Aiping
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Apiaceae; Asteraceae; Chemical compounds; Clinical trials; Codonopsis; Colon; Cytokines; Dendritic cells; Drug dosages; Etiology; Glycerol; Herbal medicine; Herbs; Immunology; Inflammatory bowel disease; Inflammatory bowel diseases; Interleukin 12; Intestine; Irritable bowel syndrome; Laboratory animals; Lipopolysaccharides; Lymphocytes T; Macrophages; Membrane permeability; Motility; Nitric oxide; Nitric-oxide synthase; Pain; Permeability; Pharmaceuticals; Rodents; Signal transduction; γ-Interferon
• ISSN: 1741-427X; 1741-4288
• DOI: 10.1155/2012/491496

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional bowel disorder and the etiology is not well understood. Currently there is no cure for IBS and no existing medication induces symptom relief in all patients. IBS-20 is a 20-herb Chinese medicinal formula that offers beneficial effects in patients with IBS; however, the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. This study showed that IBS-20 potently inhibited LPS- or IFNΓ-stimulated expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, as well as classically activated macrophage marker nitric oxide synthase 2. Similarly, IBS-20 or the component herb Coptis chinensis decreased LPS-stimulated pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion from JAWS II dendritic cells. IBS-20 or the component herbs also blocked or attenuated the IFNΓ-induced drop in transepithelial electric resistance, an index of permeability, in fully differentiated Caco-2 monolayer. Finally, the up-regulation of key inflammatory cytokines in inflamed colon from TNBS-treated mice was suppressed significantly by orally administrated IBS-20, including IFNΓ and IL-12p40. These data indicate that the anti-inflammatory activities of IBS-20 may contribute to the beneficial effects of the herbal extract in patients with IBS, providing a potential mechanism of action for IBS-20. In addition, IBS-20 may be a potential therapeutic agent against other Th1-dominant gut pathologies such as inflammatory bowel disease.