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Protective effect of taraxasterol against LPS-induced endotoxic shock by modulating inflammatory responses in mice.

Abstract
Taraxasterol, a pentacyclic-triterpene, was isolated from the Chinese medicinal herb Taraxacum officinale. In the present study, we investigated the protective effect of taraxasterol on murine model of endotoxic shock and the mechanism of its action. Mice were treated with 2.5, 5 and 10 mg/kg of taraxasterol prior to a lethal dose of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge. Survival of mice was monitored twice a day for 7 days. To further understand the mechanism, the serum levels of inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and mediator nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) as well as histology of lungs were examined. The results showed that taraxasterol significantly improved mouse survival and attenuated tissue injury of the lungs in LPS-induced endotoxemic mice. Further studies revealed that taraxasterol significantly reduced TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-6, NO and PGE₂ levels in sera from mice with endotoxic shock. These results indicate that taraxasterol has a protective effect on murine endotoxic shock induced by LPS through modulating inflammatory cytokine and mediator secretion. This finding might provide a new strategy for the treatment of endotoxic shock and associated inflammation.
AuthorsXuemei Zhang, Huanzhang Xiong, Hongyu Li, Yao Cheng
JournalImmunopharmacology and immunotoxicology (Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol) Vol. 36 Issue 1 Pg. 11-6 (Feb 2014) ISSN: 1532-2513 [Electronic] England
PMID24286370 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
Chemical References
  • Cytokines
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • Sterols
  • Triterpenes
  • Nitric Oxide
  • taraxasterol
  • Dinoprostone
Topics
  • Animals
  • Cytokines (blood)
  • Dinoprostone (blood)
  • Lipopolysaccharides (toxicity)
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Nitric Oxide (blood)
  • Shock, Septic (blood, chemically induced, prevention & control)
  • Sterols (pharmacology)
  • Triterpenes (pharmacology)

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