둥근마 에탄올 추출물의 항염증 효과

Anti-inflammatory Effect of Ethanol Extracts from Dioscorea bulbifera

Dioscorea bulbifera has been cultivated in Korea, China and Japan as a food, and also widely used as a traditional medicine for a long time. This study was conducted to determine the anti-inflammatory effect of Dioscorea bulbifera ethanol extracts. The inhibitory effect of Dioscorea bulbifera ethanol extracts were evaluated regarding production or expression of inflammatory mediators in macrophage cells. Dioscorea bulbifera ethanol extracts significantly inhibited the expression of IL-4, IFN-γ and PGE2 and expression of COX-2, iNOS, TNF-α, in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. In addition, we evaluated the inhibitory effect of Dioscorea bulbifera ethanol extracts on an atopic dermatitis-like mouse model. An atopic dermatitis-like skin lesion was induced by repeated treatment of DNCB on the ear skin of ICR mice. The efficacy of Dioscorea bulbifera ethanol extracts was tested by histophathologic analysis. Histophathologic analysis revealed a reduction in the ear thickness in Dioscorea bulbifera ethanol extracts treated mice. These results show that Dioscorea bulbifera ethanol extracts have an anti-inflammatory effect. Therefore, this research suggests that Dioscorea bulbifera may be a potential agent for ameliorating inflammation.