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Effect of Perilla frutescens on nitric oxide production and DNA synthesis in cultured murine vascular smooth muscle cells

The effects of perilla (Perilla frutescens, Labiatae) on murine cultured vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) were investigated. The water extract of perilla leaves induced nitric oxide (NO) production of VSMC and this effect was synergistically augmented when combined with interferon (IFN)‐γ or tumour necrosis factor (TNF)‐α, while the perilla extract significantly inhibited NO production induced by IFN‐γ combined with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Northern blot analysis revealed that these effects of the perilla extract paralleled mRNA expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase. However, the perilla extract significantly inhibited platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) or TNF‐α‐induced VSMC proliferation measured as DNA synthesis. The inhibitory effect of the perilla extract on TNF‐α‐induced VSMC proliferation was significantly suppressed by NG‐monomethyl‐L‐arginine, a non‐specific nitric synthase inhibitor, suggesting that this effect was partially mediated by NO production as an autocrine/paracrine factor. The present findings suggest that perilla would be useful for the prevention of vascular diseases such as arteriosclerosis. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.