EFFECT OF ESCULENTOSIDE-H ON RELEASE OF TUMOR-NECROSIS-FACTOR FROM MOUSE PERITONEAL-MACROPHAGES

Effect of esculentoside H (EH ) on release of tumor necrosis factor (T NF ) from murine peritoneal macrophage (MPHI) in vitro was studied. Th e results showed that EH (12. 5- 200 mug . ml-1) induced the thioglyco late-broth elicited peritoneal MPHI to release TNF into supernatants i n a dose-dependent manner, and higher levels of TNF activity were dete cted in the supernatants from EH-stimulated calcimycin-primed MPHI cul ture. EH-induced TNF release had a different type of kinetics compared with that of lipopolysaccharides (LPS ). LPS-induced release of TNF i ncreased rapidly until 6 h after LPS stimulation, then declined gradua lly, while EH-induced TNF release increased gradually after EH stimula tion and reached its peak at approximately 24 h later. These results s uggested that the anti-tumor mechanisms of Phytolaccaceae may be relat ed to the capacity of EH for TNF release.