Ergostatrien-3beta-ol (ST1), an active and major ingredient from Antrodia camphorata (AC) submerged whole broth was evaluated for the
analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. Treatment of male imprinting control region (ICR) mice with ST1 (1, 5, and 10 mg/kg) significantly inhibited the numbers of
acetic-acid-induced writhing response in 10 min. Also, our result showed that ST1 (10 mg/kg) significantly inhibited the
formalin-induced
pain in the late phase (p < 0.001). In the anti-inflammatory test, ST1 (10 mg/kg) decreased the paw
edema at 4 and 5 h after lambda-
carrageenin (Carr) administration and increased the activities of
catalase (CAT),
superoxide dismutase (SOD), and
glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in the liver tissue. We also demonstrated that ST1 significantly attenuated the
malondialdehyde (MDA) level in the
edema paw at 5 h after Carr injection. ST1 (1, 5, and 10 mg/kg) decreased the
nitric oxide (NO) levels on both the
edema paw and serum level at 5 h after Carr injection. Also, ST1 (5 and 10 mg/kg) diminished the serum
tumor necrosis factor (
TNF-alpha) at 5 h after Carr injection. Western blotting revealed that ST1 (10 mg/kg) decreased Carr-induced
inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and cycloxyclase (COX-2) expressions at 5 h in the
edema paw. An intraperitoneal (ip) injection treatment with ST1 also diminished neutrophil infiltration into sites of
inflammation, as did
indomethacin (Indo). The anti-inflammatory mechanisms of ST1 might be related to the decrease in the level of MDA, iNOS, and COX-2 in the
edema paw via increasing the activities of CAT, SOD, and GPx in the liver through the suppression of
TNF-alpha and NO.