dehydroeburicoic-acid and eburicoic-acid

Eburicoic acid (TR1) and dehydroeburicoic acid (TR2), an active ingredient from Antrodia camphorata (AC) solid-state culture, were evaluated for analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. Treatment with TR1 and TR2 significantly inhibited a number of acetic acid-induced writhing responses and formalin-induced pain in the late phase. In the anti-inflammatory test, TR1 and TR2 decreased paw edema at the fourth and fifth hour after λ-carrageenan (Carr) administration and increased the activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in the paw edema tissue. We also demonstrated that TR1 and TR2 significantly attenuated the malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) levels in either edema paw or serum at the fifth hour after Carr injection. Western blotting revealed that TR1 and TR2 decreased Carr-induced inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cycloxyclase (COX-2) expressions at the fifth hour in paw edema. Treatment with TR1 and TR2 also diminished neutrophil infiltration into the paw edema at the fifth hour. The present study suggests that the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of TR1 and TR2 might be related to the decrease of inflammatory cytokines and an increase of antioxidant enzyme activity.

Topics: Analgesics; Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Antrodia; Edema; Glutathione Peroxidase; Humans; Inflammation Mediators; Interleukin-1beta; Lanosterol; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred ICR; Nitric Oxide; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

The hepatoprotective effects of eburicoic acid (TR1) and dehydroeburicoic acid (TR2) from Antrodia camphorata (AC) against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver damage were investigated in mice. TR1 and TR2 was administered intraperitoneally (i.p.) for 7 days prior to the administration of CCl4. Pretreatment with TR1 and TR2 prevented the elevation of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and liver lipid peroxides in CCl4-treated mice. The activities of antioxidant enzymes [catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx)], nitric oxide (NO) production, and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) were decreased after the treatment with TR1 and TR2 in CCl4-treated mice. Western blotting revealed that TR1 and TR2 significantly decreased inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expressions and increased the expression of cytochrome P4502E1 (CYP2E1) in CCl4-treated mice. Therefore, we speculate that TR1 and TR2 protect the liver from CCl4-induced hepatic damage via antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms.

Topics: Acute Disease; Alanine Transaminase; Animals; Antrodia; Aspartate Aminotransferases; Carbon Tetrachloride; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; Disease Models, Animal; Glutathione Peroxidase; Humans; Lanosterol; Liver; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred ICR; Nitric Oxide; Oxidative Stress; Superoxide Dismutase