Inhibitory Effects of Polygoni Multiflori Caulis Extracts on Matrix Metalloproteinase Activities

Matrix metalloproteinases（MMPs） play an essential role in development and tissue remodeling of living organisms. However, the overexpression of MMPs has lead to a series of diseases, such as cancer, arthritis, and atherosclerosis; and inhibition of MMPs may have therapeutic benefits. The discovery of MMP inhibitors from herbal has become a prospective event. We showed that the extract of Polygoni multiflori caulis from ethyl acetate or water（ethyl acetate extract and water extract） can inhibit the activities of MMPs 9, 14, and 16 in a dose-dependent manner and n-butyl alcohol extract of it can also inhibit these MMPs. Furthermore, we found that n-butyl alcohol extract and water extract of it influence the cell viability. These discoveries may contribute to the development of MMP in- hibitors for the therapy of a variety of pathological conditions.