Abstract
The objective of the present study was to analyze the effect of a mixture of medicinal plants [Angelica gigas Nakai, Panax ginseng and Rhus verniciflua Stokes (APR)] on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory responses in the murine macrophage cell line RAW264.7. Cells were treated with APR and LPS at various concentrations and indicated times. WST assay, trypan blue assay and quantification of activated cells demonstrated that APR suppressed cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. APR induced G1 cell cycle arrest and inhibited the LPS-induced phosphorylation of protein kinase B (AKT), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38) and necrosis factor κB (NF-κB). APR also suppressed nitric oxide synthase isoform (iNOS) and prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase 2 (Cox-2) messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) expression induced by LPS. Furthermore, APR decreased LPS-induced intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, mitochondrial membrane potential, as well as induced PARP and caspase-3 cleavage, suggesting that APR causes apoptosis. In conclusion, the present study indicated that APR may be advantageous in treating inflammatory disease.