Oxysophocarpine Ameliorates Carrageenan-induced Inflammatory Pain via Inhibiting Expressions of Prostaglandin E2 and Cytokines in Mice

Yang Yang; Yu-Xiang Li; Hong-Ling Wang; Shao-Ju Jin; Ru Zhou; Hai-Qi Qiao; Juan Du; Jing Wu; Cheng-Jun Zhao; Yang Niu; Tao Sun; Jian-Qiang Yu

doi:10.1055/s-0035-1546153

Planta Medica, Table of Contents

Planta Med 2015; 81(10): 791-797
DOI: 10.1055/s-0035-1546153

Biological and Pharmacological Activity

Original Papers

Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Oxysophocarpine Ameliorates Carrageenan-induced Inflammatory Pain via Inhibiting Expressions of Prostaglandin E₂ and Cytokines in Mice

Yang Yang^*

¹Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China

⁹Department of Pharmacy, General Hospital of Ningxia medical University, Yinchuan, China

,

Yu-Xiang Li^*

²College of Nursing, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China

,

Hong-Ling Wang

¹Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China

,

Shao-Ju Jin

³Luohe Medical College, Luohe, China

,

Ru Zhou

¹Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China

,

Hai-Qi Qiao

¹Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China

,

Juan Du

¹Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China

,

Jing Wu

⁴Laboratory Animal Center, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China

,

Cheng-Jun Zhao

⁵Key Laboratory of Fertility Preservation and Maintenance of Ministry of Education, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China

,

Yang Niu

⁶Key Laboratory of Hui Ethnic Medicine Modernization, Chinese Ministry of Education at Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China

,

Tao Sun

⁷Ningxia Key Lab of Craniocerebral Diseases of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China

,

Jian-Qiang Yu

¹Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China

⁸Ningxia Engineering and Technology Research Center for Modernization of Hui Medicine, Yinchuan, China

› Author Affiliations

Abstract

Oxysophocarpine is an alkaloid extracted from Sophora alopecuroides. We investigated the analgesic effect of oxysophocarpine on carrageenan-induced inflammatory pain in mice, in order to explore its possible mechanisms. Mouse ear swelling tests and carrageenan-induced paw edema tests were used to investigate the effects of oxysophocarpine on inflammatory pain in mice. Morphological changes on inflamed paw sections were measured by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The mRNA and protein expression of extracellular signal-regulated kinase, phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, cyclooxygenase-2, tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin-1 beta, interleukin-6 and prostaglandin E₂ were investigated by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemistry, western-blot and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In our results, oxysophocarpine shows a significant anti-inflammatory effect in the mouse ear swelling test. Oxysophocarpine also significantly reduced the paw edema volume and improved mechanical allodynia threshold value on carrageenan-induced inflammatory pain, as well as relieved paw tissues inflammatory damage and reduced the numbers of neutrophils in mice. Oxysophocarpine significantly suppressed over-expression of cyclooxygenase-2, tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin-1 beta, interleukin-6 and prostaglandin E₂, and inhibited the over-phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2. Based on these findings we propose that oxysophocarpine attenuates inflammatory pain by suppressing the levels of phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, cyclooxygenase-2, prostaglandin E₂, tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin-1 beta and interleukin-6.

Key words

Sophora alopecuroides - Leguminosae - oxysophocarpine - inflammation pain - pro-inflammatory cytokines - prostaglandin E₂

Full Text

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