Effects of Gentianine on the Production of Pro-inflammatory Cytokines in Male Sprague-Dawley Rats Treated with Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)

Abstract

This study was undertaken to elucidate the mechanism of anti-inflammatory action of gentianine, a constituent of Gentiana Macrophylla. The effects of gentianine on lipopolysacharide (LPS)-induced production of pro-inflammatory cytokines were investigated in male Sprague-Dawley rats. For the first time, we found that oral administration of gentianine (10—100 mg/kg) suppressed the increases in tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) (ED₅₀, 37.7 mg/kg) and interleukin (IL)-6 (ED₅₀, 38.5 mg/kg) in the sera from the rats challenged with bacterial LPS (100 μg/kg; i.p.). However, LPS induced production of other interleukins, such as IL-α, was not significantly altered by gentianine. These results suggest that the potential anti-inflammatory action of gentianine might be at least partly based on the suppressed production of TNF-α and IL-6.