Planta Med 2001; 67(6): 505-509
DOI: 10.1055/s-2001-16479
Original Paper
Pharmacology
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Rutaecarpine, a Quinazolinocarboline Alkaloid, Inhibits Prostaglandin Production in RAW264.7 Macrophages

Hyun Goo Woo1 , Chang Hoon Lee2 , Min-Soo Noh2 , Jung Joon Lee3 , Yi-Sook Jung1 , Eun Joo Baik1 , Chang-Hyun Moon1 , Soo Hwan Lee1*
  • 1 Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Ajou University, Suwon, Korea
  • 2 Pharmaceutical and Health Science Research Institute, Pacific Corporation, Yongin, Korea
  • 3 Biomolecule Research Division, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Taejon, Korea
Further Information

Publication History

August 9, 2000

December 2, 2000

Publication Date:
17 August 2001 (online)

Abstract

In order to delineate the mechanism involved in the anti-inflammatory activity of rutaecarpine, its effects on the production of prostaglandin (PG) and therein involved enzymes were examined. Rutaecarpine reduced the production of PGE2 in RAW264.7 cells treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in a dose dependent manner when added to the culture media at the time of stimulation. However, the inhibition of total cellular cyclooxygenase (COX) activity under the same experimental condition was observed only at high concentrations of rutaecarpine. Rutaecarpine did not affected the levels of COX-2 mRNA and protein in macrophages stimulated with LPS. Calcium ionophore A23187 induced-PG production and [3 H]-arachidonic acid release were significantly decreased by the pretreatment of rutaecarpine for 30 minutes. With the same treatment schedule, however, rutaecarpine failed to alter the activities of cellular COX-1 and COX-2. Collectively, our data suggest that anti-inflammatory effect of rutaecarpine is, at least in part, ascribed to the diminution of PG production through inhibition of arachidonic acid release albeit the nature of its effects on PLA2 activity remains to be elaborated.

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Prof. Soo Hwan Lee

Department of Physiology

School of Medicine

Ajou University

#5 Wonchon-dong, Paldal-Gu

Suwon 442-749

Republic of Korea

Email: shwanlee@madang.ajou.ac.kr

Fax: +82-031-219-5049