fraxetin and Inflammation

Liver fibrosis is a chronic lesion which ultimately results in cirrhosis and possible death. Although the high incidence and lethality, few therapies are effective for liver fibrosis. Fraxetin (7,8-dihydroxy-6-methoxy coumarin), a natural product extracted from cortex fraxini, has exhibited a significant hepatoprotective and anti-fibrotic properties. However, the underlying mechanism of the anti-hepatic fibrotic property remains unknown.. Our findings indicate that fraxetin is effective in preventing liver fibrosis through inhibiting inflammation and hepatocytes apoptosis which is associated with regulating NF-κB/IκBα, MAPKs and Bcl-2/Bax signaling pathways in rats.

Topics: Animals; Apoptosis; bcl-2-Associated X Protein; Carbon Tetrachloride; Coumarins; Inflammation; Liver; Liver Cirrhosis; Male; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; NF-kappa B; NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha; Oxidative Stress; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Signal Transduction

Coumarins, also known as benzopyrones, are plant-derived products with several pharmacological properties, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Based on the wide distribution of coumarin derivatives in plant-based foods and beverages in the human diet, our objective was to evaluate both the antioxidant and intestinal anti-inflammatory activities of six coumarin derivatives of plant origin (scopoletin, scoparone, fraxetin, 4-methyl-umbeliferone, esculin and daphnetin) to verify if potential intestinal anti-inflammatory activity was related to antioxidant properties.. Intestinal inflammation was induced by intracolonic instillation of TNBS in rats. The animals were treated with coumarins by oral route. The animals were killed 48 h after colitis induction. The colonic segments were obtained after laparotomy and macroscopic and biochemical parameters (determination of glutathione level and myeloperoxidase and alkaline phosphatase activities) were evaluated. The antioxidant properties of these coumarins were examined by lipid peroxidation and DPPH assays.. Treatment with esculin, scoparone and daphnetin produced the best protective effects. All coumarin derivatives showed antioxidant activity in the DPPH assay, while daphnetin and fraxetin also showed antioxidant activity by inhibiting lipid peroxidation. Coumarins, except 4-methyl-umbeliferone, also showed antioxidant activity through the counteraction of glutathione levels or through the inhibition of myeloperoxidase activity.. The intestinal anti-inflammatory activity of coumarin derivatives were related to their antioxidant properties, suggesting that consumption of coumarins and/or foods rich in coumarin derivatives, particularly daphnetin, esculin and scoparone, could prevent intestinal inflammatory disease.

Topics: Alkaline Phosphatase; Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Antioxidants; Biphenyl Compounds; Colitis; Colon; Coumarins; Esculin; Glutathione; Inflammation; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases; Lipid Peroxidation; Male; Oxidative Stress; Peroxidase; Phytotherapy; Picrates; Plant Extracts; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Umbelliferones

This protocol describes microsphere-based protease assays for use in flow cytometry and high-throughput screening. This platform measures a loss of fluorescence from the surface of a microsphere due to the cleavage of an attached fluorescent protease substrate by a suitable protease enzyme. The assay format can be adapted to any site or protein-specific protease of interest and results can be measured in both real time and as endpoint fluorescence assays on a flow cytometer. Endpoint assays are easily adapted to microplate format for flow cytometry high-throughput analysis and inhibitor screening.

Topics: Animals; Biotinylation; Flow Cytometry; Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer; Green Fluorescent Proteins; High-Throughput Screening Assays; Humans; Inflammation; Kinetics; Microspheres; Peptide Hydrolases; Peptides; Reproducibility of Results; Temperature

The alkaloid isaindigotone (1a) and seven derivatives have been synthesized to study their influence on several leukocyte functions and the generation of inflammatory mediators. Isaindigotone (1a) was found to be a scavenger of superoxide generated either by the hypoxanthine/xanthine oxidase system or stimulated human neutrophils. Isaindigotone (1a) and its acetylated derivative (1b) also inhibited 5-lipoxygenase activity and leukotriene B(4) production in these cells, whereas none of the compounds affected degranulation. In RAW 264.7 macrophages stimulated with lipopolysaccharide, synthetic derivatives exerted higher inhibitory effects on prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) and nitric oxide (NO) generation when compared with (1a). The presence of an acetoxyl group at C-4' favors the inhibition of NO and PGE(2) production, whereas the fluoro substituent at C-4' or the absence of substituents on the aromatic ring of the benzylidene unit improves the inhibition of PGE(2). Thus, this series of compounds can attenuate the production of mediators relevant to the inflammatory response.

Topics: Alkaloids; Animals; Brassicaceae; Cells, Cultured; Chromatography, Thin Layer; Dinoprostone; Free Radical Scavengers; Humans; Inflammation; Inflammation Mediators; Inhibitory Concentration 50; Leukocytes; Leukotriene B4; Lipopolysaccharides; Lipoxygenase Inhibitors; Macrophages; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Mice; Molecular Structure; Neutrophils; Nitric Oxide Synthase; Plants, Medicinal; Quinazolines; Structure-Activity Relationship; Xanthine Oxidase