Sonchus oleraceus Linn protects against LPS-induced sepsis and inhibits inflammatory responses in RAW264.7 cells.

Sonchus oleraceus Linn (SOL) belongs to family of Asteraceae, is a traditional medicinal plant, which has been used to treat tumor, inflammatory diseases, infection and so on in Chinese folk culture.This work investigated the influence of aqueous ethanol extract of whole plant of SOL and contribution of its main components on inflammation METHODS AND RESULTS: Oral administration of SOL (10 mg/kg) to mice reduced the expression of inflammatory cytokines including IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α, in the LPS-induced sepsis mouse model. Major phenolics in SOL were isolated and determined by HPLC. Results indicate that SOL at the concentration range from 25 to 100 μg/mL and its main components, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid (25-100 μM) significantly reduced the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, attenuated iNOS and COX-2 expression in LPS-stimulated Macrophages. In addition, western blot analysis showed SOL suppressed inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) protein expression and the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), p38, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK).The underlying mechanism of anti-inflammation might be in according with the inhibition of MAPKs activation as well as down regulation of iNOS and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2).