Lonicera japonica-induced inhibition of interleukin-1 beta thermogenesis and E-type prostaglandin receptor-3 expression in the preoptic area of rabbits********★

BACKGROUND： It has been shown that interleukin-1β（IL-1β） can induce fever by activating vascular endothelial cells and macrophages of the supraoptic crest to generate prostaglandin E2, which binds with receptors of the thermo-sensitive hypothalamic neurons. Lonicera japonica is one of the medicinal plants used widely in Asia for its antipyretic properties. However, these mechanisms have not yet been intensively studied.
OBJECTIVE： To investigate the antipyretic effect and mechanisms of Lonicera japonica on IL-1β- induced febrile New Zealand rabbits by observing expression changes of E-type prostaglandin receptor-3 （EP3） mRNA in the preoptic anterior hypothalamus （POAH）. DESIGN： A randomized controlled study.
SETTING： Electrophysiological Laboratory at the Department of Pathophysiology, Medical College of Jinan University; Department of Orthopaedics, First Hospital Affiliated to Medical College of Jinan University.
MATERIALS： The experiment was performed from April to December 2005, using a total of 32 New Zealand white rabbits of both sexes, weighing 1.5 2.0 kg. All the animal experiments were performed according to the internationally accepted ethical guidelines. Lonicera japonica injection was purchased from Huanghe pharmaceutical factory of Xi＇an, China. IL-1βwas purchased from Sigma, USA.
METHODS： A total of 32 rabbits were divided randomly into four groups： ① Normal saline （NS） control group;② Lonicerajaponica treatment group; ③ IL-1βtreatment group; and ④Lonicerajaponica plus IL-1βtreatment group. In the first 3 groups, the rabbits were given separate intravenous （i.v.） injections of l mL NS, l mL Lonicera japonica, and 100 ng IL-l β （dissolved in 0.9% NS without pyrogen）. In the Lonicerajaponica plus IL-1βgroup each rabbit was given i.v. injections of l mL NS and, 30 minutes later, 100 ng IL-1 β. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： Colonic temperature of each rabbit was measured at 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, and 70 minutes after injection and the maxim

Lonicera japonica-induced inhibition of interleukin-1 beta thermogenesis and E-type prostaglandin receptor-3 expression in the preoptic area of rabbits

Lonicera japonica interleukin-1β antipyretic preoptic anterior hypothalamus E-type prostaglandin receptor in situ hybridization