H. Sadowskakrowicka et al., GENISTEIN AND GUT INFLAMMATION - ROLE OF NITRIC-OXIDE, Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine, 217(3), 1998, pp. 351-357
Genistein, a principal soy isoflavone, has been identified as a protei
n kinase inhibitor that possesses immunosuppressive and anti-inflammat
ory properties, The aim of the study was to determine if genistein mod
ified chronic ileitis in guinea pigs induced by the hapten trinitroben
zene sulfonic acid (TNBS), and the activity index of cultured macropha
ges (RAW 264.7 cells) stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Genist
ein at low doses (0.1 mg/kg, s.c.) had mild anti-inflammatory effects
in TNBS ileitis. Therapeutic benefit included a reduction in nitric ox
ide production, granulocyte infiltration and improved mucosal architec
ture. Genistein, at low doses, also appeared to attenuate immunohistoc
hemical staining for inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and nitrot
yrosine. The beneficial effects of genistein were not apparent at dose
s above 0.1 mg/kg. We found that genistein also inhibited LPS-induced
nitrite production by cultured macrophages and protected against LPS-i
nduced necrosis despite its ability to cause apoptosis. These results
indicate that genistein displayed mild antiinflammatory properties whi
ch may, in part, involve an attenuation of nitric oxide release via in
ducible nitric oxide synthase, and the formation of peroxynitrite.