Effects of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge extract and its single components on monosodium urate-induced pain in vivo and lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation in vitro

OBJECTIVE:To investigate the possible antinociceptive effects of Salvia(S.)miltiorrhiza Bunge and its single components in monosodium urate(MSU)-induced pain model in mice and lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced inflammation model in RAW264.7 cells.METHODS:Pretreatment of S.miltiorrhiza Bunge extract(from 1 to 50μg/mL)concentration-dependently attenuated LPS-induced nitric oxide(NO)release.The extract of S.miltiorrhiza Bunge(50 or 100 mg/kg)also caused reversals of decreased threshold for pain in the MSU-treated group as measured by Von-Frey test.Furthermore,we assessed the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory properties of the active single components from S.miltiorrhiza Bunge such as 15,16-dihydrotanshinoneⅠ,tanshinoneⅠ,cryptotanshinone,miltirone,tanshinoneⅡA,and salvianolic acid B.Some of them showed an anti-inflammatory effect in LPS-induced NO release model and an antinociceptive effect in MSU-treated pain model.RESULTS:Our results suggest that S.miltiorrhiza Bunge extract may exert anti-inflammatory effect by reducing LPS-induced NO release and an antinociceptive property in MSU-treated pain model.Especially,tanshinoneⅡA,miltirone,cryptotanshinone,and 15,16-dihydrotanshinoneⅠ,not only appear to be responsible for LPS-induced NO release induced by S.miltiorrhiza Bunge,but also in the production of S.miltiorrhiza Bunge extract-induced antinociception in MSU-treated pain model.CONCLUSION:Therefore,the analgesic and anti-inflammatory property of S.miltiorrhiza Bunge indicate it as a therapeutic potential candidate for the treatment of pain and inflammation.