earticle

영어

Carnosic acid (CA) is one of the bio-active phenolic diterpene present in several Labiate herbs including rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis). Although several biological activities of CA are probably linked to its ability to reduce the oxidative damage, it also exhibits anti-inflammatory activity with unknown mechanisms. In this study, we found that CA has a strong inhibitory effect on the production of inducible nitric oxide (iNOS) and nitric oxide (NO) stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). CA also inhibited NADPH oxidase activity in LPS-stimulated BV-2 cells, a murine microglial cell line. These results provide a pharmacological basis for the anti-inflammatory property of CA and suggest a novel therapeutic candidate agent for inflammation-mediated neurodegenerative diseases.