ttCH, a selective inhibitor of inducible nitric oxide synthase expression with antiarthritic properties

In a previous work, we investigated the effects of a series of dimethoxy- and trimethoxychalcone derivatives, with various patterns of fluorination, on nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated murine RAW 264.7 cells. The present study was designed to determine if 2,4,6-trimethoxy-2′-trifluoromethylchalcone (ttCH) could modulate the production of nitric oxide (NO) and/or prostaglandins in vitro and in vivo. On the mouse macrophage cell line RAW 264.7, ttCH inhibited dose-dependently NO and prostaglandin E 2 production, with IC 50 in the micromolar range. This compound had no direct inhibitory effect on inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 activities. NO reduction was the consequence of inhibition of the expression of iNOS. This compound also exhibited in vivo an inhibitory behaviour on nitrite and prostaglandin E 2 levels. We have assessed the effect of ttCH in the treatment of acute and chronic inflammatory processes such as the mouse carrageenan paw oedema and the rat adjuvant-induced arthritis. The present study demonstrated that ttCH exerts acute and chronic anti-inflammatory effects that may be related with the inhibition of iNOS expression.