Ecklonia cava-Hizikia fusiformis complex extract alleviates inflammation in human lung epithelia

This study was performed to determine the optimal ratio for preparing an extract comprising the Ecklonia cava and Hizikia fusiformis complex as a therapeutic material for alleviating inflammatory respiratory diseases. First, to examine the optimal ratio for preparing the complex (SD-EH), Ecklonia cava and Hizikia fusiformis extracts were used; four extracts with different mixing ratios were prepared. The effects of the SD-EH extract on MUC5AC mRNA expression in PMA-treated NCI-H292 cells were analyzed; it was confirmed that the MUC5AC expression was significantly reduced after treatment with the SD-EHA-001 (E(100) : H(0)), SD-EHB-001 (E(90) : H(10)), SD-EHC-001 (E(80) : H(20)), and SD-EHD-001 (E(70) : H(30)) extracts. Western blotting was used to determine whether the SD-EH extract affects the expression levels of COX-2 and MMP-9 in PMA-treated A549 cells. The protein expression levels of COX-2 and MMP-9 were significantly lower (p < 0.001) in the cells treated with the SD-EHC-001 (E(80):H(20)), SD-EHD-001 (E(70) : H(30)), and SD-EHE-001 (E(60) : H(40) extracts than in the cells treated with PMA alone. The SD-EHC-001 (E(80) : H(20)) extract markedly downregulated the expression levels of MUC5AC, COX-2, and MMP-9. Therefore, the SE-EH extract may serve as a potential therapeutic agent for treating inflammatory respiratory diseases.