Esculentic　acid　(EA),　a　pentacyclic　triterpenoids　compound　extracted　from　the　Chinese　herb　Phytolacca　esculenta,　has　long　been　used　in　traditional　Chinese　medicine　for　the　treatment　of　rheumatoid　arthritis,　edema,　hepatitis　and　bronchitis　disease.　The　present　study　aimed　to　investigate　the　anti-inflammatory　effect　of　EA　in　vivo　and　in　vitro　and　the　effect　of　EA　on　cyclooxygenase　(COX)　protein　expression.　To　gain　insight　into　the　anti-inflammatory　effect　of　EA　both　in　vivo　and　in　vitro　and　its　effect　on　COX-2　expression,　we　used　animal　inflammatory　models　and　lipopolysaccharide　(LPS)-induced　mouse　peritoneal　macrophages　to　examine　the　anti-inflammatory　action　of　EA.　Our　findings　demonstrated　that　EA　possessed　potent　anti-inflammatory　activity　both　in　vivo　and　in　vitro,　while　the　anti-inflammation　action　in　vitro　may　be　attributed　to　the　inhibition　of　the　level　of　TNF-alpha　and　IL-6　pro-inflammatory　cytokines　and　PGE(2)　inflammatory　mediator　in　macrophages.　Meanwhile,　the　production　of　PGE(2)　was　possibly　associated　with　COX-2　protein　expression　which　was　similar　to　that　of　NSAIDS.　The　study　extends　our　understanding　of　the　anti-inflammatory　effect　of　EA　both　in　vivo　and　in　vitro　and　provides　clarification　of　the　molecular　mechanisms　underlying　the　effect　of　EA　on　PGE(2)　production,　extending　a　novel　aspect　to　the　pharmacological　activity　of　EA.　(C)　2014　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.