Abstract
Despite its beneficial role in host defense mechanisms, enhancement of nitric oxide (NO) production and pro-inflammatory cytokines from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells has been implicated in several inflammatory diseases. To clarify the mechanisms of the inhibition of NO as well as pro-inflammatory cytokines from the aqueous extract of stem bark of Terminalia arjuna, we evaluated whether the aqueous extract could modulate the production of NO and pro-inflammatory cytokines from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The results indicate that the aqueous extract of Terminalia arjuna were effective inhibitors of lipolysaccharide (LPS)-induced NO and pro-inflammatory cytokines in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. To test the inhibitory effects of aqueous extract of Terminalia arjuna on Th1 type of cytokines, we performed ELISA assays for TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma in LPS-stimulated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. In these assays, aqueous extract of Terminalia arjuna produced dose-dependent decreases in the production of TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma.
Key words: Terminalia arjuna, nitric oxide, PBMC, lipopolysaccharide