Archidendron lucidum Exerts Anti-Inflammatory Effects by Targeting PDK1 in the NF-κB Pathway.

Pharmacological activities of some Leguminosae family members were reported. Pharmacological activities of Archidendron lucidum, a Leguminosae family member have never been explored. Therefore, this study investigated anti-inflammatory effects of an Archidendron lucidum methanol extract (Al-ME). In this study, anti-inflammatory effects of Al-ME were investigated in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells and HCl/EtOH-induced gastritis mice by MTT assay, nitric oxide (NO) production assay, semi-quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), luciferase reporter assay, and Western blotting. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis identified ethnopharmacological compounds in Al-ME. Al-ME inhibited NO production without cytotoxicity in peritoneal macrophages and RAW264.7 cells stimulated with LPS or Pam3CSK4. Al-ME downregulated mRNA expression of inflammatory genes (inducible NO synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)) and pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and IL-6). Al-ME exerted anti-inflammatory activity in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells by inhibiting nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway. HPLC analysis identified quercetin, luteolin, and kaempferol as major anti-inflammatory components in Al-ME. Al-ME ameliorated HCl/EtOH-induced gastritis symptoms in mice by suppressing iNOS and IL-6 mRNA expressions and IκBα phosphorylation. Therefore, these results suggest that Al-ME exhibited anti-inflammatory activity by targeting NF-κB signaling pathway, implying that Al-ME could be potent anti-inflammatory medications to prevent and treat inflammatory diseases.