3α-Angeloyloxy-ent-kaur-16-en-19-oic Acid Isolated from Wedelia trilobata L. Alleviates Xylene-Induced Mouse Ear Edema and Inhibits NF-κB and MAPK Pathway in LPS-Stimulated Macrophages

Uncontrolled inflammation is associated with many major diseases, and there is still an urgent need to develop new anti-inflammatory drugs. 3α-Angeloyloxy-ent-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid (WT-25) is an ent-kaurane dieterpenoid extracted from Wedelia trilobata, a medicinal plant with potential anti-inflammatory activity. The anti-inflammatory activity of WT-25 is better than that of its analog kaurenoic acid, but the underlying mechanism is still unknown. In this study, our aim was to study the anti-inflammatory effect of WT-25. In xylene-induced edema in mice, WT-25 produced 51% inhibition. WT-25 suppressed nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells by downregulating the expression of nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). WT-25 reduced expression and secretion of TNF-α and IL-6. Moreover, WT-25 inhibited NF-κB activation and its upstream signaling, decreasing phosphorylation IKK and p65 levels. WT-25 also inhibited the phosphorylation of the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) family. Additionally, it reduced LPS-induced excessive release of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and maintained mitochondrial integrity in RAW264.7 cells. All these results indicate that WT-25 is a bioactive molecule with the potential to be developed as a novel structured anti-inflammatory drug.