Nitric oxide (NO) is a key messenger in the pathogenesis of inflammation, linking innate and adaptive immunity. Overproduction of nitric oxide (NO) has been associated with damage to normal cells and tissues, leading to pathogenesis of various inflammatory diseases [1]. Due to the global relevance, the search for natural products targeting inflammatory diseases has been intensified in recent years [2].

The aim of this project is to identify Chinese medicinal plants with anti-inflammatory properties and to subsequently isolate new anti-inflammatory lead structures. Using Accelerated Solvent Extraction (ASE), we generated a high number of extracts with solvents of different polarities. The pharmacological screening of the extracts was performed at 50 µ g/ml in an iNOS assay using LPS/IFN-γ stimulated RAW 264.7 mouse macrophages [3] . Out of 374 (100%) tested extracts from Chinese herbal drugs, 45 (12%) showed inhibitory effects over 20%. 21 extracts (5.6%) thereof turned out to be substantially active with inhibitory effects over 40%. Out of 45 extracts, 20 were obtained using dichloromethane, 21 were methanol extracts, and only three were water extracts. Significant inhibition showed Curcumae longae rhizoma, Zingiberis rhizoma, Inulae flos, Kochiae fructus, Chaenomelis fructus and Citri reticulatae pericarpium extracts.

References

[1] García-Ortiz A, Serrador JM. Nitric Oxide Signaling in T Cell-Mediated Immunity. Trends Mol Med 2018; 24: 412–427;

[2] Waltenberger B, Atanasov AG, Heiss EH, Bernhard D, Rollinger JM, Breuss JM, Schuster D, Bauer R, Kopp B, Franz C, Bochkov V, Mihovilovic MD, Dirsch VM, Stuppner H. Drugs from nature targeting inflammation (DNTI): a successful Austrian interdisciplinary network project. Monatsh Chem 2016;

[3] Blunder M, Liu X, Kunert O, Winkler NA, Schinkovitz A, Schmiderer C, Novak J, Bauer R. Polyacetylenes from Radix et Rhizoma Notopterygii incisi with an inhibitory effect on nitric oxide production in vitro. Planta Med 2014;