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Dimethoxycurcumin, a synthetic curcumin analogue with higher metabolic stability, inhibits NO production, inducible NO synthase expression and NF‐κB activation in RAW264.7 macrophages activated with LPS
Author(s) -
Pae HyunOck,
Jeong SunOh,
Kim Hak Sung,
Kim Seong Heak,
Song Yung Sun,
Kim Sungkwun,
Chai KyuYun,
Chung HunTaeg
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
molecular nutrition and food research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.495
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1613-4133
pISSN - 1613-4125
DOI - 10.1002/mnfr.200700333
Subject(s) - curcumin , chemistry , nitric oxide synthase , lipopolysaccharide , nitric oxide , nf κb , inflammation , biochemistry , pharmacology , enzyme , signal transduction , biology , immunology , organic chemistry
Excess production of nitric oxide (NO) by inducible NO synthase (iNOS) in activated macrophages is linked to acute and chronic inflammation. Thus, it would be valuable to develop inhibitors of NO and/or iNOS for potential therapeutic use. We investigated whether dimethoxycurcumin (DiMC), a synthetic curcumin analogue with higher metabolic stability over curcumin, could inhibit NO production and iNOS expression in activated macrophages. RAW264.7 macrophages were activated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the absence or presence of DiMC, which contains four methoxy groups at two aromatic rings, curcumin containing two, bis‐demethoxycurcumin (BDMC) containing none, or tetrahydrocurcumin (THC) containing two but lacking conjugated double bonds in the central seven‐carbon chain. NO production, iNOS expression and NF‐κB activity were examined. DiMC, curcumin and BDMC inhibited NO production, iNOS expression and NF‐κB activation, with DiMC being the most effective, followed by curcumin and BDMC. THC failed to inhibit NO production, iNOS expression and NF‐κB activation. Our results suggest that DiMC inhibits NO production, iNOS expression and NF‐κB activation in LPS‐activated macrophages, which may be due not only to the conjugated double bonds but also the increased number of methoxy groups.