Anti-inflammatory effects of a traditional Korean herbal formulation, Silsosangami, consisting of seven medicinal herbs: effect on hemolysis, neutrophil function, and gene expressions of iNOS and COX-2

Vascul Pharmacol. 2004 Aug;42(1):7-15. doi: 10.1016/j.vph.2004.11.002.

Abstract

Silsosangami is a dried decoctum of a mixture of seven Korean herbal medicine, which is consisted of seven herbs (indicated as concentrations) of Typhae Pollen, Pteropi Faeces, Paeoniae Radicis rubra, Cnidii Rhizoma, Persicae Semen, Carthami Flos and Curcumae Tuber. In the present study, the effects of Silsosangami water extract (SSG) on hemolysis in human blood were studied. Using an in vitro system, only Curcumae Tuber, Persicae Semen and Paeoniae Radicis rubra had the strongest effects on hemolysis; Typhae Pollen and Pteropi Faeces had the slight effects; and Cnidii Rhizoma and Carthami Flos had no effect. On the other hand, the SSG inhibited neutrophil functions, including degranulation, superoxide generation, and leukotriene B4 production, without any effect on 5-lipoxygenase activity. This SSG reduced nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglanin E2 (PGE2) production in mouse peritoneal macrophages stimulated with lipopolysaccharide, without the influence on the activity of inducible NO synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase COX-2 and COX-1 being observed. SSG significantly reduced mouse paw oedema induced by carrageenan. Western blot analysis showed that SSG reduced the expression of iNOS and COX-2. These results suggested that SSG might be used as a novel antithrombotic therapeutic agents in post-myocardial infarction and also, indicated that SSG exerts anti-inflammatory effects related to the inhibition of neutrophil functions and of NO and PGE2 production, which could be due to a decreased expression of iNOS and COX-2.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / pharmacology*
  • Carrageenan / administration & dosage
  • Carrageenan / adverse effects
  • Cyclooxygenase 2
  • Dinoprostone / metabolism
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / methods
  • Edema / chemically induced
  • Edema / drug therapy
  • Erythrocytes / drug effects
  • Gene Expression / drug effects
  • Hemolysis / drug effects*
  • Herbal Medicine
  • Humans
  • Korea
  • Leukotriene B4 / metabolism
  • Macrophages, Peritoneal / drug effects
  • Macrophages, Peritoneal / metabolism
  • Medicine, East Asian Traditional*
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Mice
  • Neutrophils / drug effects*
  • Neutrophils / metabolism
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase / drug effects
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase / genetics*
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase / metabolism
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II
  • Pancreatic Elastase / metabolism
  • Phytotherapy*
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / drug effects
  • Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / genetics*
  • Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / metabolism
  • Thromboxane B2 / metabolism

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Plant Extracts
  • silsosangami
  • Leukotriene B4
  • Thromboxane B2
  • Carrageenan
  • NOS2 protein, human
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II
  • Nos2 protein, mouse
  • Cyclooxygenase 2
  • PTGS2 protein, human
  • Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases
  • Pancreatic Elastase
  • Dinoprostone