DIOSCIN IMPROVES SURVIVAL IN MURINE ENDOTOXEMIA INDUCED BY LIPOPOLYSACCHARIDE

Dioscin is a natural steroidal saponin mainly extracted from Dioscoreae rhizoma, which usually used as traditional medicine in East Asia area. Dioscin has various pharmacological actions. However, little is known concerning the role on Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced endotoxemia. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects and possible mechanisms of dioscin against LPS-induced endotoxemia in mice. The data showed dioscin significantly increased mouse survival when mice were treated with dioscin prior to or after LPS challenge and significantly attenuated TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta and IL-6 production in serum. Further studies revealed that dioscin could downregulate LPS-induced nuclear transcription factor -kappa B (NF-kappa B) signal transduction pathways. These observations indicated that dioscin modulated early cytokine responses by blocking NF-kappa B activation, and thus, increased mouse survival in murine endotoxemia induced by LPS.