Anti-inflammatory Activity of Dandelion in Mice

Most inflammatory disorders are usually treated using anti-inflammatory drugs including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) and steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (SAID). Prolonged uses of NSAIDs and SAIDs may frequently cause adverse side-effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, decreased appetite, kidney and liver failure, ulcers, and prolonged bleeding after an injury or surgery. Thus, it is necessarily required to develop a new anti-inflammatory drug with little side-effects. Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) possesses the therapeutic abilities to eliminate body heat and toxins and to remove swelling and inflammation. In order to verify the anti-inflammatory activity of dandelion, TPA(12-O-tetra decanoylphorbol-acetate)-induced or croton oil-induced acute edema was developed in the mouse ears, and dandelion extract dissolved in acetone was applied to both sides of inflamed ears. It was found that dandelion could significantly reduce the ear swelling, compared to that of non-treated control. In the case of $20{\mu}{\ell}$ application of $100mg/m{\ell}$ dandelion solution (DA-100), its anti-inflammatory effect was comparable to that of indomethacin, a non - steroidal anti-anflammatory drug. Taken together, it could be concluded that topically applied dandelion extract exhibited its potentials as a new drug candidate with an effective anti-inflammatory activity.

급성염증유발 동물모델에서 포공영(蒲公英)의 염증억제 효과