Bark Extracts of <i>Chamaecyparis obtusa</i> (Siebold & Zucc.) Endl. Attenuate LPS-Induced Inflammatory Responses in RAW264.7 Macrophages
<i>Chamaecyparis obtusa</i> (Siebold & Zucc.) Endl. (<i>C. obtusa</i>) is an evergreen conifer native to temperate regions such as South Korea and Japan, traditionally used for its anti-inflammatory properties. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the anti-inflamm...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-07-01
|
| Series: | Plants |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/15/2346 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| Summary: | <i>Chamaecyparis obtusa</i> (Siebold & Zucc.) Endl. (<i>C. obtusa</i>) is an evergreen conifer native to temperate regions such as South Korea and Japan, traditionally used for its anti-inflammatory properties. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the anti-inflammatory effects of <i>C. obtusa</i> bark extracts remain poorly understood. In this study, I compared the biological activities of <i>C. obtusa</i> bark extracts prepared using boiling water (COWB) and 70% ethanol (COEB), and investigated their anti-inflammatory mechanisms in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages. COEB significantly suppressed both mRNA and protein expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), along with decreased production of their respective inflammatory mediators, nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E<sub>2</sub> (PGE<sub>2</sub>). Additionally, COEB selectively downregulated interleukin (IL)-1β expression, without affecting tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and unexpectedly upregulated IL-6. Notably, COEB did not inhibit the LPS-induced activation of major inflammatory signaling pathways, including mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), and Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT). These findings suggest that COEB exerts anti-inflammatory effects by modulating key inflammatory mediators independently of canonical signaling pathways and may offer a novel therapeutic strategy for controlling inflammation. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 2223-7747 |