Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

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Original Research Article

Anti-inflammatory Effects of (-)-Epicatechin in Lipopolysaccharide-Stimulated Raw 264.7 Macrophages

Hai Wang¹* and Zhi-Ran Cao²

¹Medical Department, The Second Central Hospital of Baoding City, Hebei 072750, ²Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medicine, Hebei University Health Science Center, Hebei 071000, China

*For correspondence: Email: wanghai201311@163.com; Tel: +86-312-3966325

Received: 29 April 2014 Revised accepted: 15 August 2014

Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, September 2014; 13(9): 1415-1419

http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/tjpr.v13i9.6

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the protective effects of (-)-epicatechin on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation in Raw 264.7 murine macrophages and the possible underlying mechanisms.

Methods: The effects of epicatechin on LPS-stimulated production of inflammatory mediators in Raw 264.7 cells were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results: Epicatechin in doses of 5, 25 and 50 μM remarkably (p < 0.05) inhibited the production of pro-inflammatory mediators including nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE₂), as well as the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interleukin (IL)-6 in LPS-induced Raw 264.7 macrophages.

Conclusion: The results suggest that epicatechin can inhibit inflammatory response and may be a potential therapeutic candidate for the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases.

Key words: Inflammation, Epicatechin, Cytokines, Nitric oxide, Prostaglandin E2, Macrophages