ABSTRACT

The effectiveness of betulinic acid in anti-inflammation has been demonstrated. However, the role of betulinic acid in inhibition of zymosan-stimulated inflammation in macrophages remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of betulinic acid from Adenosma caeruleum R.Br. on zymosan-induced inflammatory signaling in macrophages. The inflammatory signals were stimulated by zymosan on macrophages, such as tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-6, interleukin1β, and reactive oxygen species, which were strongly inhibited at a concentration of 40 µg mL-1 (p < 0.001) of betulinic acid. Importantly, betulinic acid inhibited caspase-1 and nucleotide-binding domain leucine-rich repeat and pyrin domain containing receptor 3 inflammasomes in Raw 264.7. This study suggests that betulinic acid from A. caeruleum R. Br. can be used as a promising agent against excessive inflammation by inhibiting the signaling pathways of nucleotide-binding domain leucine-rich repeat and pyrin domain containing receptor 3 inflammasomes.