Astragaloside IV (ASIV)

AS-IV has been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects in vivo. AS-IV significantly reduced the adhesion promoting activity of LPS-stimulated HUVECs for polymorph-nuclear leukocytes and the monocytic cell line THP-1. AS-IV decreased the LPS-induced expression of E-selectin and VCAM-1 on the surface of HUVECs in a dose and time dependent manner, whereas the expression of ICAM-1 was not affected by AS-IV. AS-IV also inhibits TNFalpha-induced VCAM-1 expression. The saponin octyl-D-glucopyranoside had no effect on the LPS-induced expression of E-selectin and VCAM-1 excluding an unspecific detergent-like effect of AS-IV. Moreover, AS-IV significantly inhibited LPS- and TNFalpha-induced specific mRNA levels for E-selectin and VCAM-1. AS-IV completely abolished LPS- and TNFalpha-induced nuclear translocation of NF-kappaB and NF-kappaB DNA binding activity in endothelial cells.