Cedrela sinensis leaves suppress oxidative stress and expressions of iNOS and COX-2 via MAPK signaling pathways in RAW 264.7 cells

Overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS), including nitric oxide (NO), could be associated with the pathogenesis of various diseases such as cancer and chronic inflammation. Inducible nitric oxi de synthase (iNOS)and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) are known to play key roles in the development of these diseases. Cedrela sinensis leaves have been used in Asian countries as a traditional remedy for enteritis, dysentery and itching. In the present study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of Cedrela sinensis leaves in lipopolysaccharide ( LPS)- stimulatedRAW 264.7 macrophages. Powder of C. sinensis leaves was extracted with 95% ethanol and fractionated with a series of organic solvents including n-hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and water. The dichloromethane (DCM) fraction strongly inhibited NO production possibly by down-regulating iNOS and COX-2 expression, as determined by Western blotting. Hydrogen peroxide-induced generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was also effectively inhibited by the DCM fraction from C. sinensis leaves. In addition, C. sinensis inhibited LPS-mediated p65 activation via the prevention of I?B-α phosphorylation. Furthermore, mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) such as ERK 1/2 and p38 were found to affect the expression of iNOS and COX-2 in the cells. Taken together, our data suggest that leaves of C. sinensis could be used as a potential source for anti-inflammatory agents.