Ultraviolet (UV) radiation has been reported to induce cutaneous
inflammation such as
erythema and
edema via induction of proinflammatory
enzymes and mediators. Sargassum fulvellum is a brown alga of Sargassaceae family which has been demonstrated to exhibit
antipyretic,
analgesic, antiedema,
antioxidant, antitumor, fibrinolytic, and hepatoprotective activities. The purpose of this study is to investigate anti-inflammatory effects of ethylacetate fraction of
ethanol extract of Sargassum fulvellum (SFE-EtOAc) in HaCaT keratinocytes and BALB/c mice. In HaCaT cells, SFE-EtOAc effectively inhibited UVB-induced cytotoxicity (60 mJ/cm(2)) and the expression of proinflammatory
proteins such as
cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2),
tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and
inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). Furthermore, SFE-EtOAc significantly reduced UVB-induced production of proinflammatory mediators including
prostaglandin E2 (
PGE2) and
nitric oxide (NO). In BALB/c mice, topical application of SFE-EtOAc prior to UVB irradiation (200 mJ/cm(2)) effectively suppressed the UVB-induced
protein expression of COX-2, iNOS, and TNF-α and subsequently attenuated generation of
PGE2 and NO as well. In another experiment, SFE-EtOAc pretreatment suppressed UVB-induced
reactive oxygen species production and exhibited an
antioxidant potential by upregulation of
antioxidant enzymes such as
catalase and
Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase in HaCaT cells. These results suggest that SFE-EtOAc could be an effective
anti-inflammatory agent protecting against UVB irradiation-induced skin damages.