4-Hydroxy-7-Methoxycoumarin Inhibits Inflammation in LPS-activated RAW264.7 Macrophages by Suppressing NF-kappa B and MAPK Activation

Coumarins are natural products with promising pharmacological activities owing to their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral, anti-diabetic, and antimicrobial effects. Coumarins are present in many plants and microorganisms and have been widely used as complementary and alternative medicines. To date, the pharmacological efficacy of 4-hydroxy-7-methoxycoumarin (4H-7MTC) has not been reported yet. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of 4H-7MTC in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells as well as its mechanisms of action. Cells were treated with various concentrations of 4H-7MTC (0.3, 0.6, 0.9, and 1.2 mM) and 40 mu M L-N-6-(1-iminoethyl)-L-lysine (L-NIL) were used as controls. LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells showed that 4H-7MTC significantly reduced nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E-2 (PGE(2)) production without cytotoxic effects. In addition, 4H-7MTC strongly decreased the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase (COX-2). Furthermore, 4H-7MTC reduced the production of proinflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-1 beta, and IL-6. We also found that 4H-7MTC strongly exerted its anti-inflammatory actions by downregulating nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappa B) activation by suppressing inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa B alpha (I kappa B alpha) degradation in macrophages. Moreover, 4H-7MTC decreased phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase/stress-activated protein kinase (JNK), but not that of p38 MAPK. These results suggest that 4H-7MTC may be a good candidate for the treatment or prevention of inflammatory diseases such as dermatitis, psoriasis, and arthritis. Ultimately, this is the first report describing the effective anti-inflammatory activity of 4H-7MTC.