본 연구에서는 berberine이 전염증성사이토카인의 생성에 미치는 효과를 관찰하기 위하여 TNF-$alpha$, IL-$1{eta}$, 그리고 IL-6생성을 정량하였다. 마우스 비장세포에 berberine을 작용시켰을 때 TNF-$alpha$의 생성이 억제되었다. 또한 마우스 생체 내에서 LPS에 의한 TNF-$alpha$의 상승이 berberine에 의해서 억제됨을 알 수 있었다. IL-$1{eta}$의 생성에 있어서도 berberine을 고농도(3.0 ${mu}g/ml$)로 작용시켰을 때 억제되었고 LPS에 의한 IL-$1{eta}$의 상승이 고농도의 berberine에 의해서 억제되었다. IL-6의 생성은 berberine에 의해서 억제되었으며 낮은 berberine 농도(0.3 ${mu}g/ml$)에서 LPS에 의한IL-6의 생성이 억제되었다. 따라서 이러한 결과들은 berberine이 TNF-$alpha$, IL-$1{eta}$, 그리고 IL-6와 같은 전염증성사이토카인의 생성을 하향 조절할 가능성을 시사한다 하겠다.
Berberine has shown a number of beneficial effects, including anti-tumor, anti-inflammation, and vasodilatory effects. In this work we investigated the effects of berberine on the production of proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF-$alpha$, IL-$1{eta}$, and IL-6 in mice. The supernatants of cultured splenocytes exposed with berberine or berberine plus LPS were harvested to assay TNF-$alpha$, IL-$1{eta}$, and IL-6. The sera from the mice injected with berberine or berberine plus LPS were then isolated to assay these cytokines. The TNF-$alpha$ production in mice splenocyte cultures exposed to berberine was inhibited compared to the PBS control. The sera from LPS plus berberine injected mice showed lower levels of TNF-$alpha$ compared to those of LPS only injected mice. The IL-$1{eta}$ production in mice splenocyte cultures exposed to berberine was inhibited at a high dose (3.0 ${mu}g/ml$) compared to the PBS control. Also, the increase of IL-$1{eta}$ by LPS exposure in splenocyte cultures was inhibited by a high dose of berberine. The IL-6 in splenocyte culture supernatants showed lower levels after berberine compared to the PBS control. Also, production of IL-6 after LPS exposure in splenocyte cultures was inhibited by a low dose of berberine (0.3 ${mu}g/ml$). These findings suggest the probability that berberine down-regulates the production of proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF-$alpha$, IL-$1{eta}$, and IL-6.
