Purpose: To investigate the protective effects of (-)-epicatechin on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation in Raw 264.7 murine macrophages and the possible underlying mechanisms.
Methods: The effects of epicatechin on LPS-stimulated production of inflammatory mediators in Raw 264.7 cells were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Results: Epicatechin in doses of 5, 25 and 50 µM remarkably (p < 0.05) inhibited the production of proinflammatory mediators including nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), as well as the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interleukin (IL)-6 in LPS-induced Raw 264.7 macrophages.
Conclusion:The results suggest that epicatechin can inhibit inflammatory response and may be a potential therapeutic candidate for the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.