Tung-Chou Tsai1, Yu-Tang Tung1, Yueh-Hsiung Kuo2, Jiunn-Wang Liao3, Hsin-Chung Tsai4, Kowit-Yu Chong5, Hsiao-Ling Chen6, Chuan-Mu Chen7. 1. Department of Life Sciences, and Agricultural Biotechnology Center, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan. 2. Department of Chinese Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chinese Medicine Resources, China Medical University, Taichung 404, Taiwan; Department of Biotechnology, Asia University, Taichung 413, Taiwan. 3. Graduate Institute of Veterinary Pathobiology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan. 4. Department of Sugery, Taichung Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taichung 403, Taiwan. 5. Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Science, Molecular Medicine Research Center, Chang Gung University, Tao-Yuan 333, Taiwan. 6. Department of Bioresources, Da-Yeh University, Changhua 515, Taiwan. Electronic address: bellchen@mail.dyu.edu.tw. 7. Department of Life Sciences, and Agricultural Biotechnology Center, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan; Rong-Hsing Translational Medicine Center, and the iEGG center, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan. Electronic address: chchen1@dragon.nchu.edu.tw.
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL EVIDENCE: Antrodia camphorata, a highly valued polypore mushroom native only to Taiwan, has been traditionally used as a medicine for anti-inflammation. AIM OF THE STUDY: In this study, anti-inflammatory effects of Antrodia camphorata (AC) and its active compound, ergostatrien-3β-ol (ST1), were investigated in a mouse skin ischemia model induced by skin flap surgery on the dorsal skin. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A U-shaped flap was elevated on the dorsal skin of the nine-week-old male mice. Mice were randomly assigned to six groups for treatment (n=6) including normal skin/propylene glycol (PG), surgical skin flap/PG, solid-state-cultured AC (S/AC), wood-cultured AC (W/AC), high-dose ST1 (H-ST1), low-dose ST1 (L-ST1). Antrodia camphorata was dissolved in 25μL PG and smeared on the skin flap every six hours for 24h. At the end of the experiment, each mouse was anesthetized, and skin tissues were collected from their back for histopathological analysis, extracting RNA and protein according to our previous reports. RESULTS: Skin-flap-induced ischemia damage significantly increased the expression of the iNOS, COX2, and IL-6 proteins and decreased the expression of IκB protein. In addition, focal, moderate coagulative necrosis with inflammatory cell infiltration was found in the epidermis, and moderate inflammatory cells and necrosis with slight edema was noted in the sub-dermis at 24h after skin flap surgery. However, treatment with solid-state-cultured or wood-cultured AC, or with its derived ST1 active compound, significantly reduced the necrosis and inflammatory cell infiltration in both the epidermis and sub-dermis of the skin flap. The treatments also reduced the inflammatory response by decreasing the expression of inflammation-related genes including iNOS, IL-6, TNF-α, and NF-κB, as shown by changes in RNA and protein expression, when compared with the surgical skin flap procedure alone. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrated that methanolic extracts of wood-cultured fruiting bodies and solid-state-cultured mycelia from Antrodia camphorata have excellent anti-inflammatory activities and thus have great potential as an addition for hydrocolloid dressings.
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL EVIDENCE: Antrodia camphorata, a highly valued polypore mushroom native only to Taiwan, has been traditionally used as a medicine for anti-inflammation. AIM OF THE STUDY: In this study, anti-inflammatory effects of Antrodia camphorata (AC) and its active compound, ergostatrien-3β-ol (ST1), were investigated in a mouseskin ischemia model induced by skin flap surgery on the dorsal skin. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A U-shaped flap was elevated on the dorsal skin of the nine-week-old male mice. Mice were randomly assigned to six groups for treatment (n=6) including normal skin/propylene glycol (PG), surgical skin flap/PG, solid-state-cultured AC (S/AC), wood-cultured AC (W/AC), high-dose ST1 (H-ST1), low-dose ST1 (L-ST1). Antrodia camphorata was dissolved in 25μL PG and smeared on the skin flap every six hours for 24h. At the end of the experiment, each mouse was anesthetized, and skin tissues were collected from their back for histopathological analysis, extracting RNA and protein according to our previous reports. RESULTS: Skin-flap-induced ischemia damage significantly increased the expression of the iNOS, COX2, and IL-6 proteins and decreased the expression of IκB protein. In addition, focal, moderate coagulative necrosis with inflammatory cell infiltration was found in the epidermis, and moderate inflammatory cells and necrosis with slight edema was noted in the sub-dermis at 24h after skin flap surgery. However, treatment with solid-state-cultured or wood-cultured AC, or with its derived ST1 active compound, significantly reduced the necrosis and inflammatory cell infiltration in both the epidermis and sub-dermis of the skin flap. The treatments also reduced the inflammatory response by decreasing the expression of inflammation-related genes including iNOS, IL-6, TNF-α, and NF-κB, as shown by changes in RNA and protein expression, when compared with the surgical skin flap procedure alone. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrated that methanolic extracts of wood-cultured fruiting bodies and solid-state-cultured mycelia from Antrodia camphorata have excellent anti-inflammatory activities and thus have great potential as an addition for hydrocolloid dressings.