RT Journal Article ID 017413fd1fc03cbb A1 Lee, Sang Kook A1 Hong, Chai-Hee A1 Huh, Sun-Kyung A1 Kim, Sun-Sook A1 Oh, O-Jin A1 Min, Hye-Young A1 Park, Kwang-Kyun A1 Chung, Won-Yoon A1 Hwang, Jae-Kwan T1 Suppressive Effect of Natural Sesquiterpenoids on Inducible Cyclooxygenase (COX-2) and Nitric Oxide Synthase (iNOS) Activity in Mouse Macrophage Cells JF Journal of Environmental Pathology, Toxicology and Oncology JO JEP(T) YR 2002 FD 2002-06-01 VO 21 IS 2 OP 8 AB Prostaglandins and nitric oxide produced by inducible cyclooygenase (COX-2) and nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), respectively, have been implicated as important mediators in the processes of inflammation and carcinogenesis. These potential COX-2 and iNOS inhibitors have been considered as antiinflammatory and cancer chemopreventive agents. In this study, we investigated the effect of natural Sesquiterpenoids isolated from plants of the Zingiberaceae family on the activities of COX-2 and iNOS in cultured lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated mouse macrophage cell RAW 264.7 to discover new lead compounds as COX-2 or iNOS inhibitors. Xanthorrhizol, a sesquiterpenoid, isolated from the rhizome of Curcuma xanthorrhiza Roxb. (Zingiberaceae), exhibited a potent inhibition of COX-2 (IC50 = 0.2 g/mL) and iNOS activity (IC50 = 1.0 g/mL) in the assay system of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) accumulation and nitric oxide production, respectively. Western blot analyses revealed that the inhibitory potential of xanthorrhizol on the COX-2 activity coincided well with the suppression of COX-2 protein expression in LPS-induced macrophages. In addition, Sesquiterpenoids b-turmerone and ar-turmerone isolated from the rhizome of Curcuma zedoaria Roscoe (Zingiberaceae) also showed a potent inhibitory activity of COX-2 (b-turmerone, IC50 = 1.6 mg/mL; ar-turmerone, IC50 = 5.2 mg/mL) and iNOS (b-turmerone, IC50 = 4.6 mg/mL; ar-turmerone, IC50 = 3.2 mg/mL). These results suggest that natural sesquiterpenoids from C. xanthorrhiza and C. zedoariu might be lead candidates for further developing COX-2 or iNOS inhibitors possessing cancer chemopreventive or anti-inflammatory properties. PB Begell House LK https://www.dl.begellhouse.com/journals/0ff459a57a4c08d0,4ac6c8531cba5202,017413fd1fc03cbb.html