생도라지와 홍도라지 열수 추출물의 RAW264.7 대식세포 항염증 활성 비교 연구

초록

Platycodon grandiflorus has long been consumed in Korea for its pharmacological benefits, particularly its anti-inflammatory effects. Steam processing, used to produce red P. grandiflorus (Hong Doraji), is known to alter phytochemical profiles. However, comparative evaluations of its efficacy remain limited. This study investigated the anti-inflammatory activities of hot-water extracts from unprocessed P. grandiflorus (UPG) and steam-processed P. grandiflorus (SPG) in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages. Both extracts significantly inhibited nitric oxide (NO) production, pro-inflammatory cytokine expression [interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α], and phosphorylation of nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells p65, inhibitor of kappa B kinase, and mitogen-activated protein kinase-extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK), p38, c-Jun N-terminal kinase. Notably, UPG exhibited stronger inhibitory effects on NO production and ERK/p38 phosphorylation than SPG. To investigate the mechanistic basis of this difference, ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry-based profiling was performed, revealing markedly higher levels of representative triterpenoid saponins (polygalacin D2 and platyconic acid B) in UPG when compared with SPG. These findings suggest that steaming does not necessarily enhance anti-inflammatory activity and that UPG may retain superior bioactivity. While UPG shows promise as an anti-inflammatory, functional material, the use of SPG may be more advantageous for immune-enhancing applications.

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