INHIBITORY EFFECTS OF ORIENTAL HERBAL MEDICINES ON IL-8 INDUCTION IN LIPOPOLYSACCHARIDE-ACTIVATED RAT MACROPHAGES

Cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant (CINC), a rat interleukin- 8 (IL-8), was quantitated by using a sensitive ELISA. The CINC was ind uced up to 20 ng/ml from basal 1-2 ng/ml in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-a ctivated peritoneal macrophages. This CINC induction was significantly inhibited by steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs including dexamethason e, but not by non-steroidal drugs including indomethacin at all. Nine out of 59 herbal medicines which are frequently used in Korean traditi onal prescriptions for inflammatory diseases exhibited more than 50% o f inhibition on the CINC induction by their total methanol extracts wi th 0.1 mg/ml as a final concentration. The active 9 total extracts wer e prepared from radix of Aralia continentalis, rhizoma of Cnidium offi cinale, rhizoma of Coptis chinensis, tuber of Fritillaria verticillata , radix of Saussurea lappa, tuber of Sparganium stoloniferum, newer of Syzygium aromaticum, semen of Trichosanthes kirilowii, and herba of T ripterygium regelii. These total extracts were sequentially fractionat ed with dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, butanol, and water. Among the solvent-fractionated extracts with 0.05 mg/ml as a final concentration , more than 50% of inhibition on the CINC induction was exhibited by t he dichloromethane fraction of Aralia continentalis; the water fractio n of Fritillaria verticillata; the dichloromethane fraction of Saussur ea lappa; the dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, and butanol fractions of Syzygium aromaticum; the dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, and water fr actions of Trichosanthes kirilowii; and the dichloromethane and ethyl acetate fractions of Tripterygium regelii.