Modified Si-Miao-San extract inhibits the release of inflammatory mediators from lipopolysaccharide-stimulated mouse macrophages

Ethnopharmacological relevanceModified Si-Miao-San (mSMS) is a prescription modified from Si-Miao-San which is an ancient Chinese prescription used to treat various ailments.Aim of the studyModified Si-Miao-San (mSMS) has been used for the treatment of infectious and inflammatory disorders in the clinic. This study was aimed to investigate its anti-inflammatory activity and underlying mechanism at cellular and molecular levels.Materials and methodsWe stimulated RAW264.7 cells with Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and observed effects of mSMS on the release of inflammatory mediators such as: tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), NO, and relative gene expressions. Meanwhile, we also investigated the modulation of mSMS in inflammatory signal transduction mediated through extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway.ResultsOur findings demonstrated that mSMS significantly inhibited the excessive production of NO, TNF-α and IL-6 and the over expression of relative genes in LPS-stimulated macrophages. In addition, mSMS suppressed LPS-induced ERK1/2-phosphorylation and inhibited the activation of NF-κB by attenuation of IκB-α degradation.ConclusionsOur results suggest that the anti-inflammatory properties of mSMS might result from the inhibition of inflammatory mediators, such as NO, TNF-α and IL-6, via suppression of ERK and NF-κB dependent pathways.

Graphical abstractModified Si-Miao-San (mSMS), which was regard as a novel prescription from traditional Chinese medicine, is a potent inhibitor of inflammation. It inhibited inflammatory response in macrophages and this activity should be relative with its blockade of IκB/NF-κB mediated-inflammatory pathway.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide