Phlorofucofuroeckol A Suppresses Expression of Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase, Cyclooxygenase-2, and Pro-inflammatory Cytokines via Inhibition of Nuclear Factor-κB, c-Jun NH₂-Terminal Kinases, and Akt in Microglial Cells

Microglial activation has been implicated in many neurological disorders for its inflammatory and neurotrophic effects. In this study, we investigated the effects of phlorofucofuroeckol A isolated from Ecklonia stolonifera Okamura on the production of inflammatory mediators in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated microglia. Pre-treatment of phlorofucofuroeckol A attenuated the productions of nitric oxide, prostaglandin E₂, and pro-inflammatory cytokines in LPS-stimulated microglia. Profoundly, phlorofucofuroeckol A treatment showed inactivation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) by preventing the degradation of inhibitor κB-α and the nuclear translocation of p65 NF-κB subunit. Moreover, phlorofucofuroeckol A inhibited the activation of c-Jun NH₂-terminal kinases (JNKs), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and Akt, but not that of extracellular signal-regulated kinase. These results indicate that phlorofucofuroeckol A inhibits the LPS-induced expression of inflammatory mediators through inactivation of NF-κB, JNKs, p38 MAPK, and Akt pathways. These findings suggest that phlorofucofuroeckol A can be considered as a nutraceutical candidate for the treatment of neuroinflammation in neurodegenerative diseases.