6-Dehydrogingerdione restrains lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory responses in RAW 264.7 macrophages

6-Dehydrogingerdione (6-DG), one important component of ginger, has been reported to possess some medical effects, such as antitumor and antiatherosclerosis. Herein, the anti-inflammatory effects of 6-DG against lipopolysaccharides (LPS) induced pro-inflammation mediators in RAW 264.7 cells were investigated. Results show that 6-DG significantly attenuated inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS, NOS2), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin 6 (IL- 6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the LPS-mediated murine macrophages (RAW 264.7 cells). 6-DG inhibited LPSinduced phosphorylation of both p38 and nuclear factor of κ light polypeptide gene enhancer in B-cells inhibitor-α (IκBα), which further prevented p-p65 nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB-p65) translocation to the nucleus. Moreover, 6-DG increased the ratio of phosphorylated signal transducers and activators of transcription 1 (p-STAT1)/p-STAT3 and down-regulated the gene expression of IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-10.