(−)-Nyasol, isolated from Anemarrhena asphodeloides suppresses neuroinflammatory response through the inhibition of I-κBα degradation in LPS-stimulated BV-2 microglial cells

Abstract

Microglial activation has been associated with neurodegenerative diseases by inducing the neuroinflammatory mediators such as nitric oxide (NO), TNF-α and IL-1β. (−)-Nyasol, a norlignan isolated from a medicinal plant Anemarrhena asphodeloides, showed anti-inflammatory potential in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated BV-2 microglial cells. (−)-Nyasol inhibited the production of NO and prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) and also the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2, which are responsible for the respective production of NO and PGE₂. It also suppressed the mRNA levels of TNF-α and IL-1β in activated microglial cells. These effects of (−)-nyasol were correlated with the inactivation of p38 MAPK and the suppression of LPS-induced I-κBα degradation. Taken together, these results suggest that (−)-nyasol can be a modulator in neuroinflammatory conditions induced by microglial activation.

Keywords::

• (−)-nyasol
• microglia
• neuroinflammation
• NF-κB

Acknowledgement

This work was supported by Sookmyung Women’s University Research Grants in 2011 and by MRC program (2011- 0030699) through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by Korea Government (MEST).

Declaration of interest

The authors report no declarations of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.