Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Chondria crassicaulis Harvey Ethanol Extract in a Mouse Model of Croton Oil-Induced Ear Edema and LPS-Induced RAW 264.7 Cells

The anti-inflammatory effect of Chondria crassicaulis Harvey ethanol extract (CCHEE) was investigated using croton oil-induced ICR mice and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 cells. In croton oilinduced ear edema test, edema formation in the CCHEE treatment group (10−250 mg/kg body weight) was lower than that reported in the positive control, and the mg/kg (CCHEE) body weight treatment group showed similar effect with prednisolone treatment group (10 mg/kg body weight). Photomicrographs of mice ear tissue showed a reduction in dermal thickness and number of infiltrated mast cells. CCHEE inhibited the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines [interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α] and nitric oxide in LPS-induced inflammatory response as well as inducible nitric oxide and cyclooxygenase-2 via inactivation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and nuclear factor (NF)- κB. Therefore, our results indicate that CCHEE exerts an anti-inflammatory effect via inhibition of NF-κB and MAPK activation and can be used as a natural source of anti-inflammatory compounds. KCI Citation Count: 0