Anti-inflammatory And Immunomodulatory Actions Of Total Flavonoids Of Litsea Coreana And Its Mechanism

To observe the anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effect of total flavonoids extracted from Litsea coreana Leve. var. (LCTF ) , and explore the mechanism. The acute, chronic inflammatory and immune inflammatory (adjuvant arthritis, AA) models were established. The levels of cytokine production from peritoneal macrophages and serum concentration of NO in AA rats were observed. The main results were as follows:1. Anti-inflammatory actions of LCTFThe inflammatory function of LCTF was tested by four inflammatory models: xylene-induced mouse ear edema, carrageenan-induced rat hind paws swelling, cotton-induced mouse granuloma and FCA-induced AA models. LCTF could remarkably inhibit the ear edema induced by dimethylbenzene in mice at the dose of 200-400 mg-kg-1,the swelling of rats hind paws induced by carrageenan and primary inflammatory reaction in AA rats at the dose of 133-266 mg-kg-1 and reduce the weight of granuloma induced by cotton in rats at the dose of 66.5~266mg-kg-1, respectively. The results showed LCTF have a significant anti-inflammatory action.2. Immunoregulatory actions of LCTFTo study the effects of LCTF on immune function. The effect of LCTF on no-specific immune function was tested by macrophage(M ) engulfing carbon granula .The effect of LCTF on humoral immunity was studied by determining the antibody forming cells(AFC) and the serum hemolysin level, and the effect of LCTF on cellular immunity was evaluated by the delayed type hypersensitivity(DTH). LCTF could improve carbonic clearances of macrophages, raise the level of serum homolysin, increase the AFC quantity in mice immunosuppressed by Cy at the dose of 100-400mg-kg-1 and could enhance DTH, which suppressed by Cy at the dose of200~400mg-kg-1 in mice. It also increased both CD4+ and CD8+ cell, especially influenced on CD4+ cell, which rendered the ascending ratio of CD4+I CD8+ cell. The results indicated LCTF may enhance no-specific and specific immune function. 3. Therapeutic actions and its mechanism of LCTF in AA ratsLCTF could significantly inhibit secondary inflammatory reaction(secondary swelling, pathologic change of ankle arthritis) in AA rats at the dose of 66.5-266 mg-kg-1, and could diminish IL-1, TNF- a production from peritoneal macrophages, improve transformation rate of lymphocytes and restore the decreased IL-2 synthesis in AA rats at the dose of 66.5-133 mg-kg-1.The results suggested the therapeutic action of LCTF on AA rats be related to its immunoregulatory actions.