EFFECTS OF TARAXACUM MONGOLICUM EXTRACT ON LIPOPOLYSACCHARIDE-INDUCED NITRIC OXIDE AND CYTOKINES PRODUCTION BY BOVINE PERIPHERAL BLOOD MONONUCLEAR CELLS

The objective of this study is to investigate Taraxacum mongolicum (TM) as a therapeutic alternative for preventing and treating bovine mastitis. The effect of the anti-inflammatory activity of Taraxacum mongolicum extract (TME) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced responses was studied in the bovine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). The dried plant TM was extracted with 10 volumes of distilled water to generate its water extract. PBMCs were pretreated with various concentrations of TME (0, 1, 10, 100, 1000 [Formula: see text]g/mL) and subsequently incubated with LPS (1 [Formula: see text]g/mL). Cell viability was analyzed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenylthiazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The level of nitric oxide (NO) was determined by using Griess reagent assay. The mRNA expression levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines including interleukin (IL)-1[Formula: see text], IL-6, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-[Formula: see text] and granulocyte chemotactic protein (GCP)-2 were determined by using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The results showed no significant cytotoxic effects on the PBMCs at various treated concentrations of TME. Treatment of TME (100 and 1000 [Formula: see text]g/mL) significantly inhibited NO production in LPS-stimulated PBMCs. TME (10 [Formula: see text]g/mL) significantly inhibited LPS-stimulated IL-1[Formula: see text], IL-6, IL-8, TNF-[Formula: see text] and GCP-2 mRNA expression in PBMCs at a time-dependent manner. In this article, we reported for the first time that TME significantly inhibited production of NO and pro-inflammatory cytokines in LPS-stimulated PBMCs. This finding could be useful for clinical practice in preventing and treating bovine mastitis.