Andrographolide interferes with binding of nuclear factor-κB to DNA in HL-60-derived neutrophilic cells

• Andrographolide, the major active component from Andrographis paniculata, has shown to possess anti-inflammatory activity. Andrographolide inhibits the expression of several proinflammatory proteins that exhibit a nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) binding site in their gene.
• In the present study, we analyzed the effect of andrographolide on the activation of NF-κB induced by platelet-activating factor (PAF) and N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP) in HL-60 cells differentiated to neutrophils.
• PAF (100nM) and fMLP (100nM) induced activation of NF-κB as determined by degradation of inhibitory factor B α (IκBα) using Western blotting in cytosolic extracts and by binding to DNA using electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) in nuclear extracts.
• Andrographolide (5 and 50μM) inhibited the NF-κB-luciferase activity induced by PAF. However, andrographolide did not reduce phosphorylation of p38 MAPK or ERK1/2 and did not change IκBα degradation induced by PAF and fMLP.
• Andrographolide reduced the DNA binding of NF-κB in whole cells and in nuclear extracts induced by PAF and fMLP.
• Andrographolide reduced cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression induced by PAF and fMLP in HL-60/neutrophils.
• It is concluded that andrographolide exerts its anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting NF-κB binding to DNA, and thus reducing the expression of proinflammatory proteins, such as COX-2.

 Br J Pharmacol. 2005 March; 144(5): 680–686.