Abstract
Atherosclerosis, which manifests as acute coronary syndrome, stroke, and peripheral arterial diseases, is a chronic inflammatory disease of the arterial wall. Prunella vulgaris, a perennial herb with a worldwide distribution, has been used as a traditional medicine in inflammatory disease. Here, we investigated the effects of P. vulgaris ethanol extract on TNF-α-induced inflammatory responses in human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMCs). We found that P. vulgaris ethanol extract inhibited adhesion of monocyte/macrophage-like THP-1 cells to activated HASMCs. It also decreased expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, E-selectin and ROS, No production in TNF-α-induced HASMCs and reduced NF-kB activation. Furthermore, P. vulgaris extract suppressed TNF-α-induced phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). These results demonstrate that P. vulgaris possesses antiinflammatory properties and can regulate TNF-α-induced expression of adhesion molecules by inhibiting the p38 MAPK/ERK signaling pathway.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Anti-Inflammatory Agents / chemistry
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Anti-Inflammatory Agents / pharmacology*
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Aorta / cytology
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Atherosclerosis / metabolism
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Atherosclerosis / pathology
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Cell Line
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Cell Survival / drug effects
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E-Selectin / metabolism
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Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / metabolism
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Humans
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Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / metabolism
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Monocytes / cytology
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Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / cytology
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Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / drug effects
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Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / metabolism
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NF-kappa B / metabolism
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Nitric Oxide / metabolism
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Phosphorylation / drug effects
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Plant Extracts / chemistry
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Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
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Prunella / chemistry*
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Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism
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Signal Transduction / drug effects*
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Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / pharmacology*
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Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / metabolism
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p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / metabolism
Substances
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Anti-Inflammatory Agents
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E-Selectin
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NF-kappa B
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Plant Extracts
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Reactive Oxygen Species
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Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
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Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1
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Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1
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Nitric Oxide
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Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases
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p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases