Eupartoium makinoi suppresses lipopolysaccharide-induced inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 expression

Inflammation is involved in numerous diseases including cancer. Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) play important roles in the development of certain inflammatory diseases. Eupatorium makinoi, which belongs to a family of Asteraceae plants, is used medicinally in East Asia. We investigated the effects of an ethanol extract of E. makinoi (EEM) on nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B) activation and the expression of iNOS and COX-2 with lipopolysaccharide (TLR4 agonist) in murine macrophages. EEM suppressed NF-kappa B activation and iNOS and COX-2 expression induced by LPS. These results suggest that EEM may regulate TLR4 signalling pathways and this may be a useful strategy for anti-inflammatory therapies.