Inhibitory effects of an ethanol extract of Artemisia capillaris on inflammatory mediators from LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells

Artemisia capillaris is a perennial herb that belongs to the family Campositae spp, and has been utilized in Korea for the treatment of abdominal pain, hepatitis, chronic liver disease, and coughing. The anti-inflammatory activity of the ethanol extract of A. capillaris (EtEAC) was investigated in this study. EtEAC did not affect the viability of various cells in a concentration range of 0-200 μg/mL. The DPPH radical scavenging ability of 10 μg/mL of EtEAC was comparable to that of 10 μg/mL of catechin. EtEAC exerted an anti-inflammatory effect on the mRNA expression levels of typical inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL1β) and cyclooxygenase-2 in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Additionally, EtEAC reduced nitric oxide (NO) production via the downregulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase transcription, rather than by scavenging NO. EtEAC exerted its anti-inflammatory effects by suppressing the activation of p38 and ERK at 200 μg/mL in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells.