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This study aimed to assess some novel pharmacological activities of Sedum sarmentosum Bunge, a perennial herb widely distributed on the mountain slopes in Oriental countries and traditionally used for the treatment of certain inflammatory diseases. Sedum sarmentosum was extracted with absolute methanol to generate the methanol extract (SS). SS exhibited a significant inhibitory activity in the chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) angiogenesis in a dose-dependent manner (IC(50)=2.29 microg/egg). The anti-nociceptive activity of SS was demonstrated using acetic acid-induced writhing model in mice. SS reduced the levels of anti-inflammatory markers, such as volume of exudates, number of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and nitrite content, in the air pouch model. It dose-dependently exhibited an inhibitory activity in the acetic acid-induced vascular permeability in mice. It suppressed production of nitric oxide in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated RAW264.7 macrophages. Additionally, it suppressed induction of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the activated macrophages. In brief, the results provide some pharmacological basis for the therapeutic use of Sedum sarmentosum.

This study aimed to elucidate the anti-inflammatory and related activities of mushroom Phellinus linteus. The results show that the EtOH extract of Phellinus linteus (PLE) dose-dependently inhibited the mouse ear edema induced by croton oil. Among PLE subfractions, the n-BuOH subfraction showed highest anti-inflammatory activity in croton oil-induced ear edema test. The n-BuOH subfraction also showed highest inhibitory activity on the chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) angiogenesis in a dose-dependent manner. PLE could significantly reduce the number of writhing induced by acetic acid in mice, indicating that PLE possesses potent antinociceptive effect mediated by its anti-inflammatory activity. Mycelial extract of six different Phellinus strains were found to contain anti-angiogenic activity in the CAM assay. These results suggest that Phellinus linteus has anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activities, in addition to its anti-angiogenic activity.

Fresh fruit bodies of Ganoderma lucidum were extracted with 70% ethanol at room temperature. The extract (GL) showed significant anti-angiogenic activity, which was detected using a chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane assay. GL significantly inhibited LPS-induced NO production in RAW 264.7 macrophages. These results support the anti-tumor effect of Ganoderma lucidum.

Propolis obtained from honeybee hives has been used in Oriental folk medicine as an anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, or immunomodulatory agent. The potential estrogenic activity of propolis was investigated in vitro using the MCF-7 human breast cancer cell proliferation, human estrogen receptor (hER) binding and yeast-based steroid receptor transcription, and in vivo using the immature rat uterotrophic effect. Treatments with ethanol extract of propolis (EEP) and ether extract of propolis (REP) enhanced MCF-7 cell proliferation in concentrations ranging from 0.8 to 4 microg/ml. Both EEP and REP competed for binding of [3H]17beta-estradiol to the hER with IC(50) values of 9.14 and 9.72 microg/ml, respectively. In yeast estrogen receptor transcription assay, both EEP and REP were found to be estrogenic with EC(50) values of 9.48, and 8.55 microg/ml, respectively. Animals treated with EEP or REP for 4 days (500-1000 mg/kg per day, s.c.) exhibited significant dose-dependent increases in uterine wet weight. However, in the yeast androgen and progesterone receptor transcription assays, either EEP or REP was found not to be active. The results suggest that propolis produces estrogenic effects through activation of estrogen receptors.

Propolis obtained from honeybee hives has been used in Oriental folk medicine as an anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, or immunomodulatory agent. However, the molecular basis for anti-inflammatory properties of propolis has not yet been established. Since nitric oxide (NO) synthesized by inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) has been known to be involved in inflammatory and autoimmune-mediated tissue destruction, modulation of NO synthesis or action represents a new approach to the treatment of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. The present study, therefore, examined effects of ethanol extract of propolis (EEP) on iNOS expression and activity of iNOS enzyme itself. Treatment of RAW 264.7 cells with EEP significantly inhibited NO production and iNOS protein expression induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) plus interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma). EEP also inhibited iNOS mRNA expression and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) binding activity in a concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, transfection of RAW 264.7 cells with iNOS promoter linked to a chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) reporter gene, revealed that EEP inhibited the iNOS promoter activity induced by LPS plus IFN-gamma through the NF-kappaB sites of the iNOS promoter. In addition, EEP directly interfered with the catalytic activity of murine recombinant iNOS enzyme. These results suggest that EEP may exert its anti-inflammatory effect by inhibiting the iNOS gene expression via action on the NF-kappaB sites in the iNOS promoter and by directly inhibiting the catalytic activity of iNOS.

Ethnopharmacological relevance Salvia plebeia R. Brown has been used for the treatment of a variety of inflammatory diseases, cold and tumors in many countries, including Korea and China. Aim of the study This study aimed to assess anti-inflammatory and related activities of an ethanol extract (SPEE) prepared from the dried whole parts of Salvia plebeia. Materials and methods Anti-angiogenic and anti-nociceptive activities of SPEE were analyzed using the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay and acetic acid-induced writhing response, respectively. Anti-inflammatory activity of SPEE was evaluated using acetic acid-induced vascular permeability, carrageenan-induced inflammation in the air pouch and analyses of nitrite content and induced nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) level in the macrophage cells. Results SPEE gave rise to a significant inhibition in chick chorioallantoic membrane angiogenesis. SPEE exhibited anti-inflammatory activities in vascular permeability and air-pouch models. In the air-pouch model, SPEE was able to diminish exudate volume, number of polymorphonulcear leukocytes and nitrite content. SPEE also displayed anti-nociceptive activity in the writhing response model in mice. SPEE significantly decreased nitrite content and induced nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophage cells, while it could not modulate cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 levels in the stimulated phages. SPEE decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) level in the stimulated macrophages. Conclusion The ethanol extract (SPEE) of Salvia plebeia possesses anti-inflammatory and related anti-angiogenic, anti-nociceptive and antioxidant activities, which offers partial support to its folkloric use.

This study aimed to elucidate anti-angiogenic activity of Ulmus davidiana var. japonica that has been widely used in folk medicine. The methanol extract (UDE) of Ulmus davidiana var. japonica concentration-dependently displayed a strong inhibition in the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) angiogenesis. The n-butanol fraction of UDE and subsequent 30% MeOH subfraction were identified to be most responsible for the anti-angiogenic activity.

Fruiting bodies of Phellinus linteus were extracted with 70% ethanol at room temperature. The Phellinus linteus extract (PL) showed strong anti-angiogenic activity, which was detected using the chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay. The in vitro antioxidant activities of PL were evaluated using two different bioassays. PL was comparable to Vitamin C in scavenging the stable free radical 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhyrazyl (DPPH). It also inhibited lipid peroxidation (LPO) in a concentration-dependent manner. These results suggest that antioxidant and anti-angiogenic activities of Phellinus linteus would be partly responsible for its anti-tumor effect.