Anti-inflammatory effect of Dieffenbachia standleyi Croat extract on lipopolysaccharide-stimulated murine macrophages

Dieffenbachia standleyi Croat is a plant belonging to Araceae and is native to Central America, and South America. While there have been studies on the Dieffenbachia species, Dieffenbachia standleyi Croat has yet to be studied in depth. Dieffenbachia was used as a folk remedy to prevent inflammation and treat gout, erectile dysfunction, and coldness. Thus, this study investigates the pharmacological function of Dieffenbachia standleyi Croat's methanol extract (DSE). When RAW 264.7 macrophages were treated with DSE and stimulated with lipopolysaccharide, DSE reduced the expression of inducible nitric oxide (NO) synthase and cyclooxygenase-2, thereby decreasing NO and prostaglandin E2 production and pro-inflammatory cytokines including IL-1 beta, IL-18, IL-6, and TNF-alpha. By confirming DSE's anti-inflammatory mechanisms, we determined that DSE inhibits I kappa B alpha phosphorylation in the nuclear factor kappa appa B pathway, and inflammasome formation, without affecting MAPK pathways. This study suggests that Dieffenbachia standleyi Croat is a potential anti-inflammatory agent for inflammatory diseases.