본 논문은 오랫동안 민간요법으로 염증치료에 사용되어오던 섬수가 lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-자극된 BV2 소교 세포의 nitric oxide(NO) 분비에 미치는 효과에 대해 연구한 내용이다. 실험 결과 섬수는 세포 생존력에 대한 영향 없이 BV2 소교 세포에서 NO 분비를 억제시켰고, nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) 단백질도 감소시켰다. 또한 섬수는 prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) 생산 및 cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 발현을 저지하였고, proinflammatory cytokines과 ${IkB-alpha}$감소를 억제시켰다. 따라서 섬수가 $I{kappa}B-{alpha}$감소를 억제함으로써 NO 합성을 저해하여 항염증작용을 할 수 있다는 내용이다.
Chan-Su (Venenum bufonis) has long been for a variety of other purposes including treatment of inflammation in the folk medicine recipe. Since nitric oxide (NO) is one of the major inflammatory parameters, we first studied the effects of Chan-Su on NO production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV2 microglial cells, Chan-Su inhibited the secretion of NO in BV2 microglial cells, without affecting cell viability, The protein level of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) was decreased by Chan-Su, And Chan-Su also inhibited production of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and expression of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2. Proinflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor $(TNF)-{alpha}$, interleukin $(IL)-1{eta}$ and IL-12, were inhibited by Chan-Su in a dose-dependent manner. And Chan-Su inhibited the degradation of ${IkB-alpha}$, which was considered to be inhibitor of nuclear factor $(NF)-{kappa}B$, one of a potential transcription factor for the expression of iNOS, COX-2 and proinflammatory cytokines. These results suggest that Chan-Su could exert its anti-inflammatory actions by suppressing the synthesis of NO through inhibition of $I{kappa}B-{alpha}$ degradation.
