Allergic asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease induced by the inhalation of allergens, which trigger the activation of T helper type 2 (Th2) cells that release Th2 cytokines. Recently, herbal medicines are being considered a major source of novel agents to treat various diseases. In the present study, we evaluated the anti-asthmatic effects of aCodonopsis lanceolataextract (CLE) and the mechanisms involved in its anti-inflammatory effects. Treatment with CLE reduced infiltration of inflammatory cells, especially eosinophils, and the production of mucus in lung tissues. Levels of Th2 cytokines, such as IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13, and chemokines were also decreased following treatment with CLE. Moreover, Th2 cell proportionin vivoand differentiationin vitrowere reduced as evidenced by the decreased expression of GATA3⁺. Furthermore, the expression of superoxide dismutase (SOD)2, a mitochondrial ROS (mROS) scavenger, was increased, which was related to Th2 cell regulation. Interestingly, treatment with CLE increased the number of macrophages in the lungs and enhanced the immune-suppressive property of macrophages. Our findings indicate that CLE has potential as a novel therapeutic agent to inhibit Th2 cell differentiation by regulating mROS scavenging.

Agastache rugosa is used as a Korean traditional medicine to treat gastric diseases. However, the active ingredients and pharmacological targets of A. rugosa are unknown. In this study, we aimed to reveal the pharmacological effects of A. rugosa on gastritis by combining a mice model and a network pharmacology method. The macrophage and gastritis-induced models were used to evaluate the pharmacological effects of A. rugosa. The results show that A. rugosa relieved mucosal damage induced by HCl/EtOH in vivo. Network analysis identified 99 components in A. rugosa; six components were selected through systematic screening, and five components were linked to 45 gastritis-related genes. The main components were acacetin and luteolin, and the identified core genes were AKT serine/threonine kinase 1 (AKT1), nuclear factor kappa B inhibitor alpha (NFKBIA), and mitogen-activated protein kinase-3 (MAPK3) etc. in this network. The network of components, target genes, protein–protein interactions, and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway was closely connected with chemokines and with phosphoinositide 3-kinase-Akt (PI3K/AKT), tumor-necrosis-factor alpha (TNFα), mitogen-activated protein kinase, nuclear factor kappa B, and Toll-like receptor (TLR) pathways. In conclusion, A. rugosa exerts gastro-protective effects through a multi-compound and multi-pathway regulatory network and holds potential for treating inflammatory gastric diseases.

Scrophularia buergeriana Miq. (Scrophulariaceae) (SB) has been used as an oriental medicine for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, such as neuritis and pharyngolaryngitis. We explored the therapeutic effects of S. buergeriana ethanol extract (SBE) on airway inflammation in ovalbumin (OVA)-induced asthmatic mice and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Mice were intraperitoneally injected with OVA on days 0 and 14 to elevate the immune response. On days 21 to 23, the mice were challenged with OVA solution and SBE (20 and 40 mg/kg) was administered daily by oral gavage from days 18 to 23. RAW264.7 cells were pretreated with SBE 1 h before LPS stimulation. SBE administration effectively suppressed inflammatory cell infiltration, the expression of interleukin (IL)-5, IL-13, and IL-17, immunoglobulin E, and airway hyperresponsiveness in an OVA-induced allergic asthma model. A reduction in histological alterations, including airway inflammation and mucus hypersecretion, was observed. These effects of SBE were accompanied by a decrease in matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) expression and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) phosphorylation. These responses were observed in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. SBE treatment reduced the mRNA expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, IL-6, and MMP-9, and NF-κB phosphorylation, in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Our results indicated that SBE effectively attenuated airway inflammation in an OVA-induced allergic asthma model. These properties of SBE were thought to be involved in the suppression of NF-κB phosphorylation, suggesting that the material has the potential to regulate the development of allergic asthma.

Background: Houttuynia cordata Thunb. (Saururaceae) has been used in traditional medicine for treatment of inflammatory diseases. This study evaluated the anti-inflammatory effects of an ethyl acetate fraction derived from a Houttuynia cordata extract (HCE-EA) on the production of inflammatory mediators and the activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Methods: To measure the effects of HCE-EA on pro-inflammatory cytokine and inflammatory mediator’s expression in RAW 264.7 cells, we used the following methods: cell viability assay, Griess reagent assay, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting analysis. Results: HCE-EA downregulated nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin (IL-6) production in the cells, as well as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression. Furthermore, HCE-EA suppressed nuclear translocation of the NF-κB p65 subunit, which correlated with an inhibitory effect on IκBα (nuclear factor of kappa light polypeptide gene enhancer in B-cells inhibitor, alpha) phosphorylation. HCE-EA also attenuated the activation of MAPKs (p38 and JNK). Conclusions: Our results suggest that the anti-inflammatory properties of HCE-EA may stem from the inhibition of pro-inflammatory mediators via suppression of NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways.

Accurate identification of the plant species that are present in herbal medicines is important for quality control. Although the dried roots of Aralia continentalis (Araliae Continentalis Radix) and Angelica biserrata (Angelicae Pubescentis Radix) are used in the same traditional medicine, namely Dok-Hwal in Korean and Du-Huo in Chinese, the medicines are described differently in the national pharmacopeia. Further confusion arises from the distribution of dried Levisticum officinale and Heracleum moellendorffii roots as the same medicine. Medicinal ingredients from all four plants are morphologically similar, and discrimination is difficult using conventional methods. Molecular identification methods offer rapidity and accuracy. The internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) region of the nuclear ribosomal RNA gene (rDNA) was sequenced in all four plant species, and the sequences were used to design species-specific primers. Primers for each species were then combined to allow sample analysis in a single PCR reaction. Commercial herbal medicine samples were obtained from Korea and China and analyzed using the multiplex assay. The assay successfully identified authentic medicines and also identified inauthentic or adulterated samples. The multiplex assay will be a useful tool for identification of authentic Araliae Continentalis Radix and/or Angelicae Pubescentis Radix preparations in Korea and China.

Scrophularia koraiensis Nakai (Scrophulariaceae) is a medicinal herb that grows in Korea and which has been widely used to treat fever, edema, neuritis and laryngitis. Hence, we evaluated the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of the ethanol extract (SKE) of S. koraiensis Nakai in an ovalbumin (OVA)-induced mouse model. We injected 20 μg of OVA with 2 mg of aluminum on day 0 and day 14 to induce allergic airway inflammation in six-week-old BALB/c mice, and mice were challenged with 1% OVA by nebulization for 1 h on days 21, 22, and 23. SKE was orally administered at 20 mg/kg and 40 mg/kg from day 18 to 23, and its effects were compared with those of montelukast treatment. SKE significantly reduced proinflammatory cytokines, inflammatory cell counts, immunoglobulin-E, and airway hyperresponsiveness during the OVA-induced allergic airway inflammation model; it also reduced airway inflammation and mucus production. In addition, SKE reduced the OVA-induced nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) phosphorylation in lung tissues while enhancing nuclear factor erythroid-derived 2-related factor (Nrf-2) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression. In conclusion, SKE showed the protective effects on OVA-induced allergic airway inflammation via the suppression of NF-κB phosphorylation and the enhancement of the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway. These results indicate that SKE is a potential therapeutic agent for allergic airway inflammation.