Decursinol angelate ameliorates 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) -induced NF-κB activation on mice ears by inhibiting exaggerated inflammatory cell infiltration, oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory cytokine production.

Decursinol angelate (DA) is a pyranocoumarin purified from the roots of Angelica gigas. Here, we synthesized DA and determined its anti-inflammatory potential on TPA-induced mice ear inflammation. First, we evaluated the non-toxic behaviour of DA on HaCaT cells. Additionally, we observed the free radical scavenging potential of DA at 60 μM to be 50%. This finding was further supported by nitric oxide assay, malondialdehyde assay, H2DCFDA staining and western blotting analysis of antioxidant enzymes. DA also suppressed the activation and polarization of macrophage phagocytic activity on RAW 264.7 cells. We further evaluated the expression of ICAM-1, MCP-1, MIP-2 and MIP-1β on in-vivo model system. Consequently, DA significantly reduced the production of NF-κB and COX-2 induced proinflammatory cytokine levels on TPA induced ear edema. Inhibition of MAPK and transcriptional factor NF-κB was also validated by western blotting analysis of p-ERK, p-p38, IKKα, IKKγ, IκBα, NF-κB-p65. Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence staining of NFκB-p65, TNF-α and IL-1β were also performed to support the findings. Conclusively, these results suggest that topical administration of DA significantly inhibited the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines by blocking the canonical NF-κB and MAPK pathway. Therefore, we suggest DA as a potent therapeutic compound against skin inflammation related diseases.