Chungsimyeonja-eum inhibits inflammatory responses in RAW 264.7 macrophages and HaCaT keratinocytes

BACKGROUND Chungsimyeonja-eum (CSYJE) is an herbal prescription used in traditional Oriental medicine for treating cerebral infarction by reducing ischemic damage. However, the effects of CSYJE on inflammation have not been verified scientifically. METHODS Anti-inflammatory effects of CSYJE was investigated to dertermine the inhibitory effects of CSYJE against inflammation using RAW 264.7 mouse macrophages and HaCaT human keratinocytes. To measure the effects of CSYJE on inflammatory mediators and cytokines/chemokines, we used the following methods: cell viability assay, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), western blotting, immunocytochemistry. RAW 264.7 cells were pretreated with CSYJE (250, 500, or 1000 μg/mL) for 4 h and treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for additional 20 h. HaCaT cells were stimulated with tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interferon gamma (IFN-γ) (TI), and CSYJE (125, 250, or 500 μg/mL) for 24 h. RESULTS CSYJE suppressed the production of nitric oxide (NO, IC50 1000 μg/mL), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2, IC50 = 12.1 μg/mL), and interleukin (IL)-6 (IC50 = 248 μg/mL) in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. CSYJE suppressed the effects of TI on the production of thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC, IC50 = 330.2 μg/mL), macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC/CCL22, IC50 = 52.5 μg/mL), regulated on activation, normal T-cell expressed and secreted (RANTES/CCL5, IC50 = 372.9 μg/mL), and IL-8 (IC50 = 345.1 μg/mL) in HaCaT cells. CSYJE inhibited TI-stimulated STAT1 phosphorylation in a dose-dependent manner and nuclear translocation at 500 μg/mL in HaCaT cells. CONCLUSION Our results suggest a possible therapeutic application of CSYJE for treating inflammatory diseases.