Inhibitory effect of esculentoside A on prostaglandin E(2) production from murine peritoneal macrophages and rabbit synovial cells in vitro.

Esculentoside A (EsA) is a saponin isolated from the roots of Phytolacca esculenta. Previous experiments have shown that it has strong antiinflammatory effects. To investigate the mechanism of anti-inflammatory effects of esculentoside A (EsA),[(3)H] arachidonic acid (AA) prelabelled murine macrophage and radioimmunoassay were used to test the effect of EsA on the total release of AA and prostaglandin E(2) in culture supernatants. The results showed that EsA had no significant effect on the total release of AA from murine macrophages. EsA (2.5-10 mumol/l), from unstimulated murine peritoneal macrophages and rabbit synovial cells, could decrease the production of prostaglandin E(2). In A(23187) and LPS-treated macrophages and synovial cells, EsA (10 mumol/l) could significantly decrease the prostaglandin E(2) production. These results confirmed that EsA exerted an inhibitory effect on prostaglandin E(2) production from murine macrophages and rabbit synovial cells.