Antinociceptive Activities and the Mechanisms of Anti-Inflammation of Asiatic Acid in Mice. (6th March 2011)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Huang, Shyh-Shyun; Chiu, Chuan-Sung; Chen, Hsien-Jung; Hou, Wen-Chi; Sheu, Ming-Jyh; Lin, Ying-Chih; Shie, Pei-Hsin; Huang, Guan-Jhong
• Is Part Of: Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine. Volume 2011(2011)
• Publication Date: 2011-03-06
• Subjects: Alternative medicine -- Periodicals; 615.505
• DOI: 10.1155/2011/895857
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1741-427X

Abstract

Abstract : Asiatic acid (AA), a pentacyclic triterpene compound in the medicinal plant Centella asiatica, was evaluated for antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects. Treatment of male ICR mice with AA significantly inhibited the numbers of acetic acid-induced writhing responses and the formalin-induced pain in the late phase. In the anti-inflammatory test, AA decreased the paw edema at the 4th and 5th h after λ -carrageenan (Carr) administration and increased the activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in the liver tissue. AA decreased the nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor- α (TNF- α ), and interleukin-1 β (IL-1 β ) levels on serum level at the 5th h after Carr injection. Western blotting revealed that AA decreased Carr-induced inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase (COX-2), and nuclear factor- κ B (NF- κ B) expressions at the 5th h in the edema paw. An intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection treatment with AA also diminished neutrophil infiltration into sites of inflammation as did indomethacin (Indo). The anti-inflammatory mechanisms of AA might be related to the decrease in the level of MDA, iNOS, COX-2, and NF- κ B in the edema paw via increasing the activities of CAT, SOD, and GPx in the liver.