Dissection of the role of paeoniflorin in the traditional Chinese medicinal formula Si-Ni-San against contact dermatitis in mice.

Abstract

AIMS:

The roles of specific active ingredients in Chinese medicinal formulas have not been clearly elucidated. In this study, we selectively deleted and replenished paeoniflorin from Si-Ni-San, a traditional Chinese prescription, and aimed to identify the molecular basis of how paeoniflorin exerted its effect in Si-Ni-San.

MAIN METHODS:

Contact dermatitis was induced in mice with picryl chloride. Paeoniflorin was selectively deleted from Si-Ni-San by an immunoaffinity column. Quantitative real-time PCR, western blot, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were used in this study.

KEY FINDINGS:

Both Si-Ni-San and paeoniflorin significantly reduced ear swelling in mice while the paeoniflorin-deleted Si-Ni-San (Si-Ni-San(PF-)) showed little ameliorative effect. In lipopolysaccharide-evoked macrophages, Si-Ni-San and paeoniflorin markedly inhibited tumor necrosis factor-alpha production, cyclooxygenase-2 activity, as well as extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 phosphorylation while Si-Ni-San(PF-) exhibited no or slight inhibitory effect. Furthermore, the inhibitory effect on the production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha reappeared when different proportions of paeoniflorin were replenished in Si-Ni-San(PF-). In addition, the expression of macrophage migration inhibitory factor in T cells, rather than macrophages, was significantly inhibited by Si-Ni-San, but not Si-Ni-San(PF-). Our data indicate paeoniflorin is the principal component of Si-Ni-San, exerting negative regulation on the function of macrophages in contact dermatitis.

SIGNIFICANCE:

The present study suggests that dissecting the role of specific constituents in medicinal formulas through selective deletion and replenishment may be a useful strategy in recognizing and validating an active ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine.

• Authors: Yang Sun, Yi Dong, Hui-Juan Jiang, Tian-Tian Cai, Liang Chen, Xiang Zhou, Ting Chen, Qiang Xu
• Journal: Life sciences (Life Sci) Vol. 84 Issue 11-12 Pg. 337-44 (Mar 13 2009) ISSN: 1879-0631 [Electronic] Netherlands
• PMID: 19211027 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Benzoates
• Bridged-Ring Compounds
• Drugs, Chinese Herbal
• Glucosides
• Lipopolysaccharides
• Monoterpenes
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
• shigyaku-san
• peoniflorin
• Cyclooxygenase 2

Topics

• Animals
• Benzoates (administration & dosage, isolation & purification, therapeutic use)
• Blotting, Western
• Bridged-Ring Compounds (administration & dosage, isolation & purification, therapeutic use)
• Cell Line
• Cyclooxygenase 2 (metabolism)
• Dermatitis, Contact (drug therapy, etiology, immunology, pathology)
• Disease Models, Animal
• Drugs, Chinese Herbal (administration & dosage, chemistry, therapeutic use)
• Female
• Glucosides (administration & dosage, isolation & purification, therapeutic use)
• Lipopolysaccharides
• Macrophage Activation (drug effects)
• Macrophages, Peritoneal (drug effects, immunology)
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred BALB C
• Mice, Inbred ICR
• Monoterpenes
• Rabbits
• Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (biosynthesis, immunology)