Inhibitory effect of eupatilin and jaceosidin isolated from Artemisia princeps on carrageenan-induced inflammation in mice.

J Ethnopharmacol. 2009 Jun 5; Min SW, Kim NJ, Baek NI, Kim DHETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Artemisia princeps Pampanini (family Asteraceae) is an herbal medicine widely used as a hepatoprotective, antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial agent in Korea, China, and Japan. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aimed to elucidate the anti-inflammatory effect of the main constituents, eupatilin and jaceosidin, isolated from Artemisia princeps. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used carrageenan-induced inflammation in an air pouch on the back of mice and carrageenan-induced hind paw edema in rats to determine the anti-inflammatory effects of eupatilin and jaceosidin. Inflammatory makers-, such as expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, and activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB), were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and immunoblot analyses. RESULTS: Eupatilin and jaceosidin blocked carrageenan-induced increase in leukocyte number and protein levels in air pouch exudates. Eupatilin and jaceosidn inhibited COX-2 expression and NF-kappaB activation, and markedly reduced TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, and prostaglandin E2 (PGE(2)) levels. They also inhibited hind paw edema induced by carrageenan. Eupatilin and jaceosidin had similar activity. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that eupatilin and jaceosidin may reduce inflammation by inhibiting NF-kappaB activation, and that Artemisia princeps inhibits inflammation because of these constituents.