연교(連翹)와 금은화(金銀花) 에탄올 추출물의 항염증 효능 연구

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of ethanol extracts from Forsythia viridissima Lindley''s fructus and Lonicera japonica Thunberg''s flos in vitro, which has been frequently used in inflammatory diseases. Methods: In this experiment, the anti-inflammatory effects of ethanol extracts from Forsythia viridissima Lindley''s fructus and Lonicera japonica Thunberg''s flos were evaluated by checking the following substances of LPS-activated Raw264.7 cell: Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), Nitric oxide (NO), Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), inducible Nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), Interlukine-1β (IL-1β), Interlukine-6 (IL-6), Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), Inhibitor of kappa B-α (IκBα), Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB). And additionally measured reactive oxygen species (ROS) and free radicals to check the antioxidant effect of ethanol extracts from Forsythia viridissima Lindley''s fructus and Lonicera japonica Thunberg''s flos which affect inflammatory responses. Results: As a result of measuring anti-inflammatory efficacy, PGE2, NO, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α production amounts were reduced in the ethanol extracts from Forsythia viridissima Lindley''s fructus and Lonicera japonica Thunberg''s flos groups compared with the control group, and decreased the amount of COX-2 mRNA, iNOS mRNA gene expression. Expression of MAPK (ERK, JNK, p38) pathway was decreased. Expression of IκBα was increased and NF-κB was decreased. It is demonstrated that ethanol extracts from Forsythia viridissima Lindley''s fructus and Lonicera japonica Thunberg''s flos, by reducing NF-κB, regulate the expression of the inflammatory genes and reduce the inflammatory mediators. Ethanol extracts from Forsythia viridissima Lindley''s fructus and Lonicera japonica Thunberg''s flos also decreased ROS production and free radicals, which shown to have antioxidant efficacy and influence anti-inflammatory effects. Conclusions: These data suggest that ethanol extracts from Forsythia viridissima Lindley''s fructus and Lonicera japonica Thunberg''s flos can be used to treat various inflammatory diseases.