Myrislignan attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation reaction in murine macrophage cells through inhibition of NF-κB signalling pathway activation.

Myrislignan is a new kind of lignan isolated from Myristica fragrans Houtt. Its antiinflammatory effects have not yet been reported. In the present study, the antiinflammatory effects and the underlying mechanisms of myrislignan in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation in murine RAW 264.7 macrophage cells were investigated. Myrislignan significantly inhibited LPS-induced production of nitric oxide (NO) in a dose-dependent manner. It inhibited mRNA expression and release of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). This compound significantly inhibited mRNA and protein expressions of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) dose-dependently in LPS-stimulated macrophage cells. Further study showed that myrislignan decreased the cytoplasmic loss of inhibitor κB-α (IκB-α) protein and the translocation of NF-κB from cytoplasm to the nucleus. Our results suggest that myrislignan may exert its antiinflammatory effects in LPS-stimulated macrophages cells by inhibiting the NF-κB signalling pathway activation.