Abstract:

BACKGROUND: The revalue of the traditional Chinese medicine with the prescription of elephant skin is an important research subject for the purpose of wild animal protection.
OBJECTIVE: To compare the pharmacological actions of anti-inflammatory and immunomodulation effect of Shengji corium elephatis mastic and Shengji mastic without elephant skin and to explore the role of elephant skin in the prscription.
METHODS: Mouse monocyte / macrophage cell line RAW 264.7 cells were treated with lipopolysaccharide and administrated with different concentrations of water extracts from Shengji corium elephatis mastic (0, 125, 250, 500, 1 000 mg/L) and Shengji mastic without elephant skin (0, 125, 250, 500, 1 000 mg/L).
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Water extracts from Shengji corium elephatis mastic and Shengji mastic without elephant skin with the concentrations from 125 mg/L to 1000 mg/L had no inhibition effect on RAW264.7 cell proliferation (P > 0.05). And water extract from Shengji corium elephatis mastic with the concentration of 125 mg/L had a promoting effect on RAW264.7 proliferation (P < 0.05). Compared with single lipopolysaccharide stimulation group, Shengji corium elephatis mastic significantly inhibited the secretion of lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide, mRNA and protein expression of cytokines (tumor necrosis factor αand interleukin-6) in RAW264.7 cells. It showed a strong anti-inflammatory action. Shengji mastic without elephant skin also showed certain anti-inflammatory effect, but the differences between groups was slightly less. Results suggest that elephant skin is not the major medicinal effective ingredient in the anti-inflammatory effects of Shengji corium elephatis mastic. It may be omitted or replaced by other medical materials for the purpose of wild animal protection.