Modulatory Effects of Chrysanyhemi Flos Pharm-acopuncture on Nitric-oxide (NO) Production in Murin Macrophagy Cells

摘要

Objectives Much evidence exists that herbs have effective immunomodulatory activities. Chrysanthemi Flos (CF) is effe-ctive in clearing heat, reducing inflammation, dropping blood pressure and treating headache and is used as a pharmaceut-ical raw material for an immune enhancer. The purpose of this study was to investigate the modulatory effect of Chrysan-themi Flos pharmacopuncture on nitric-oxide (NO) production in activating macrophages. Methods After a murine macrophage cell line, RAW 264.7, was cultured in the presence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), immune-modulating abilities of CF were evaluated by using NO, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF- α ) production and phagocytic activity of macrophages. Results CF enhanced the activities of macrophages by inc-reasing the phagocytic activity and decreasing NO production. Especially, both LPS and CF, 200 ?/ml, treatment could sign-ificantly reduce the NO production, but did not change the production of IL-6 and TNF- α . Conclusions The results of this study indicate that CF may be of immunomodulatory value, especially for adverse diseases due to increased NO production. It may have potential for use as immunoenhancing pharmacopuncture.