Dual inhibition of cyclooxygenases-2 and 5-lipoxygenase by deoxypodophyllotoxin in mouse bone marrow-derived mast cells

Deoxypodophyllotoxin (Anthricin) is a medicinal herbal product isolated from Anthriscus sylvestris HOFFM. that inhibits cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and COX-1-dependent phases of prostaglandin D, (PGD2) generation in bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMC) in a concentration-dependent manner with IC50 values of 1.89 mum and 65.3 mum, respectively. This study also found that this compound inhibited COX-1 and 2-dependent conversion of the exogenous arachidonic acid to PGD(2) in a dose-dependent manner with an IC50 values of 0.01 mum and 12.1 mum, respectively using a COX enzyme assay kit. However, this compound did not inhibit COX-2 protein expression up to a concentration of 30 gm in the BMMC, indicating that deoxypodophyllotoxin directly inhibits COX-2 activity. Furthermore, this compound consistently inhibited the production of leukotriene C-4 (LTC4) in a dose dependent manner, with an IC50 value of 0.37 mum. These results demonstrate that deoxypodophyllotoxin has a dual cyclooxygenase-2 selective/5-lipoxygenase inhibitory activity, and therefore this compound might provide a basis for novel anti-inflammatory drugs.