• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.34-37
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• 1995

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have been known as inhibitors of the folate-requiring enzymes. In the present work, we have expanded on these observations and have investigated the inhibitory effects of NSAIDs on Lactobacillus casei thymidylate synthase expressed in E. coli. NSAIDs including sulphasalizine, salicylic acid, indomethacin and mefenamic acid were found to be competitive inhibitors with respect to folate of Lactobacillus casei thymidylate synthase. In contrast, aspirin and the antipyretic-analgesic drugs acetaminophen and antipyrine were weak inhibitors of the enzyme. Structure-activity correlation suggests that an aromatic ring with a side chain containing a carboxylic acid is a requirement for competitive inhibition of the thymidylate synthase. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that the antifolate activity of NSAIDs, and hence cytostatic consequences, are important factors in producing anti-inflammatory activity and aspirin exerts its anti-inflammatory effects after its conversion into salicylic acid, which possesses greater antifolate activity than its parent compound.

• BMB Reports
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.11-19
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• 2022

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an ongoing global pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Patients with severe COVID-19 exhibit hyper-inflammatory responses characterized by excessive activation of myeloid cells, including monocytes, macrophages, and neutrophils, and a plethora of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Accumulating evidence also indicates that hyper-inflammation is a driving factor for severe progression of the disease, which has prompted the development of anti-inflammatory therapies for the treatment of patients with COVID-19. Corticosteroids, IL-6R inhibitors, and JAK inhibitors have demonstrated promising results in treating patients with severe disease. In addition, diverse forms of exosomes that exert anti-inflammatory functions have been tested experimentally for the treatment of COVID-19. Here, we briefly describe the immunological mechanisms of the hyper-inflammatory responses in patients with severe COVID-19. We also summarize current anti-inflammatory therapies for the treatment of severe COVID-19 and novel exosome-based therapeutics that are in experimental stages.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.27 no.8
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• pp.816-819
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• 2004

Many diselenide compounds are used as antioxidants, enzyme inhibitors and cytokine induc-ers. Three new diselenide compounds, bis-(2-hydroxyphenyl) diselenide, bis-(3-hydroxyphe-nyl) diselenide and bis-(4-hydroxyphenyl) diselenide were designed and synthesized as anti-inflammatory agent. All of them were found to have strong in vitro activity in anti-inflammatory assays.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.1763-1768
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• 2014

In the course of our program to search for antithrombotic and anti-inflammatory agents from plants, twelve phenolics (1-12) were isolated from the stems of Parthenocissus tricuspidata. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic (1D and 2D NMR, and MS) data analyses, and comparison with published data. At the concentration of $100{\mu}g/ml$, compounds 2, 4, 6 and 10 possessed potential effects on anti-blood coagulation, with inhibitory percentage of 216, 174, 148 and 225%, respectively; while aspirin used as positive control showed 181% inhibition at the same concentration. Furthermore, the anti-inflammatory activity of isolated compounds (1-12) was investigated on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced murine macrophage cells (RAW264.7). Compounds 2, 4 and 6 also potential inhibited the production of nitric oxide, with $IC_{50}$ values of $11.9{\pm}0.3$, $2.9{\pm}0.2$ and $29.0{\pm}0.6{\mu}M$, respectively. Celastrol, the positive control used, gave an $IC_{50}$ value of $1.0{\pm}0.1{\mu}M$.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.170-178
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• 2000

Flavonoids are natural polyphenolic compounds widely distributed in plant kingdom. Although many flavonoids were found to show anti-inflammatory activity in vitro and in vivo, the potency of anti-inflammatory activity was not enough for a clinical trial. Thus, a search for finding potential flavonoid molecules is continuing. In this review, in vivo anti-inflammatory activity of various flavonoid derivatives is summarized mainly based on the results obtained in authors' laboratories. Among them, several biflavonoids such as amentoflavone and ginkgetin were found to possess anti-inflammatory activity on animal models of acute/chronic inflammation comparable to nonsteroidal and steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs currently used. In respect of their action mechanisms, the effects on arachidonic acid metabolism and nitric oxide production were described. Some flavonoids directly inhibit cyclooxygenase and/or lipoxygenase. Biflavones such as ochnaflavone and ginkgetin are inhibitors of phospholipase $A_2$. In recent studies, certain flavonoids were also found to suppress cyclooxygenase-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase expression induced by inflammatory stimuli. Therefore, it is suggested that anti-inflammatory activity of the certain flavonoids (mainly flavones, flavonols and biflavonoids) may be mediated by direct inhibition of arachidonic acid metabolizing enzymes as well as suppression of the enzyme expression involved in inflammatory responses.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.246-253
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• 2015

Background & Object: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease that causes ankylosis and deformation of axial joints. Since current medicine cannot cure the disease yet, alleviating pain and preventing deformation with medications are the main therapy for patients with AS. The key medications for these purposes include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ ($TNF-{\alpha}$) inhibitors. This study aims to analyze prescribing patterns of AS patients in South Korea. Method: National Patients Sample data compiled by the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service from 2013 was analyzed. Patients with AS were identified with Korean Standard Classification of Diseases code-6, which was M45. The rates of prescription, discontinuation, and switching ingredients were calculated for each medication during 2013. Results: Total number of patients was 655, and most of them were male (n = 514, 78.5%). Of all age groups, the proportion of 30-40 year old patients was the greatest (35.1%). The most utilized drug class was NSAIDs (82.4%). Less than half of patients were prescribed $TNF-{\alpha}$ inhibitors (n = 212, 32.4%). Meloxicam, aceclofenac, and celecoxib were the most frequently prescribed NSAIDs. In case of $TNF-{\alpha}$ inhibitors, adalimumab, etanercept and infliximab were the top three most prescribed drugs. Although not recommended by the current practice guideline, significant proportions of patients were identified using disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs). Conclusion: Considering the current practice guideline and previous studies about the efficacy, the use of DMARDs should be reduced and medical insurance term in South Korea should be re-examined.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.429-437
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• 2017

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relaxant and anti-inflammatory effects of two thalidomide analogs as phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE-4) inhibitors in pregnant rat uterus. Uteri from Wistar female rats were isolated at 19 day of pregnancy. Uterine samples were used in functional studies to evaluate the inhibitory effects of the thalidomide analogs, methyl 3-(4-nitrophthalimido)-3-(3,4- dimethoxyphenyl)-propanoate (4NO2PDPMe) and methyl 3-(4-aminophthalimido)- 3-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-propanoate (4APDPMe), on prostaglandin-$F2{\alpha}$ ($PGF2{\alpha}$)-induced phasic, $K^+$-induced tonic, and $Ca^{2+}$-induced contractions. Accumulation of cAMP was quantified in uterine homogenates by ELISA. Anti-inflammatory effect was assessed by using ELISA for determination of the pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ ($TNF{\alpha}$) and interleukin (IL)-$1{\beta}$, and anti-inflammatory IL-10, from uterine explants stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Nifedipine, forskolin and rolipram were used as positive controls where required. Both thalidomide analogs induced a significant inhibition of the uterine contractions induced by the pharmaco- and electro-mechanic stimuli. Nifedipine and forskolin were more potent than the analogs to inhibit the uterine contractility, but these were more potent than rolipram, and 4APDPMe was equieffective to nifedipine. Thalidomide analogs increased uterine cAMP-levels in a concentration-dependent manner. The LPS-induced $TNF{\alpha}$ and $IL-1{\beta}$ uterine secretion was diminished in a concentration-dependent fashion by both analogs, whereas IL-10 secretion was increased significantly. The thalidomide analogs induced utero-relaxant and anti-inflammatory effects, which were associated with the increased cAMP levels as PDE-4 inhibitors in the pregnant rat uterus. Such properties place these thalidomide analogs as potentially safe and effective tocolytic agents in a field that urgently needs improved pharmacological treatments, as in cases of preterm labor.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.245.1-245.1
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• 2002

It has been known that resveratrol, a phytoalexin present in grapes mainly, has antioxidant. anti-inflammatory, and cancer chemopreventive activity. One mechanism of its anti-inflammation and cancer prevention is considered to modulate cyclooxygense-2 (COX-2) activity. Since COX-2 plays an important role in inflammation and carcinogenesis, the potential COX-2 inhibitors have been considered as anti-inflammatory or cancer chemopreventive agents. (omitted)

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.214-219
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• 1998

Tissue distributions and association of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) with inflammatory have led us to search for COX-2 selective inhibitors from natural products. Conceptually, COX- 2 selective inhibitors should be expected to retain anti-inflammatory efficacy by inhibition of PGs production while reducing or eliminating the gastric, renal and hemostatic side effects commonly associated with NSAIDs use. Thus, a logical approach to the treatment of inflammatory diseases should involve the inhibitors of COX-2. To develop new COX-2 inhibitors from natural products, two hundred crude drugs were screened by inhibiting PGD2 generation in bone marrow derived mast cells (BMMC). Among them, 6 methanol extracts of crude drugs such as, Bletillae rhizoma, Aconiti kgreani rhizoma, Belamcandae rhizoma, Nelumbinis semen, Gleniae radix, Aurantii immatri pericarpium inhibited more than 85% of BMMC COX-2 activity at a concentration 2.5${\mu}$g/ml.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.141-146
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• 2004

Selective COX-2 inhibitors were expected to retain anti-inflammatory activity by inhibition of prostaglandin production with reduction of gastric and renal side effect associated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. This study reported the syntheses of novel 2-thiohydantoin and hydantoin derivatives which have the structure of 5-membered heterocyclic ring substituted with two aryl groups, phenyl group at 5-position and p-sulfamylphenyl or p-methoxyphenyl group at 1-position. These synthetic compounds showed significant COX-2 activities in vitro screening. Among them, 5-phenyl-2-thiohydantoin and hydantoin substituted with benzyl group at 3-position, compounds 5 and 8, could be considered as lead compounds with $IC_{50}$/=13.13∼18.78 $\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$ for the development of COX-2 inhibitors.