Selected Extracts of Chinese Herbal Medicines: Their Effect on NF-κB, PPARα and PPARγ and the Respective Bioactive Compounds

Abstract EN

Chinese herbal medicinal (CHM) extracts from fourteen plants were investigated in cell-based in vitro assays for their effect on nuclear factor κB (NF-κB), a key regulator of inflammation, as well as on peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) being key regulators of genes involved in lipid and glucose metabolism.

43% of the investigated CHMs showed NF-κB inhibitory and 50% PPARα and PPARγ activating effects.

Apolar extracts from cortex and flos of Albizia julibrissin Durazz.

and processed rhizomes of Arisaema sp.

and Pinellia ternata (Thunb.) Breit.

that effectively inhibited TNF-α-induced NF-κB activation and dose-dependently activated PPARα and PPARγ were further investigated.

Bioassay-guided fractionation and analysis by GC-MS led to the identification of fatty acids as PPAR agonists, including linoleic and palmitic acid.