Fig. 3. Effects of scutellarin on the proinflammatory factor mRNA levels and iNOS activity in the cerebrum tissues caused by alcohol exposure. (a‒c) The mRNA extracted from the tissues was reverse-transcribed into cDNA, and the mRNA expression levels of IL-1β (a), IL-6, (b), and TNF ‍ - ‍ α (c) in the cerebrum were measured using qPCR assays. (d) The activity of iNOS in the supernatants of cerebrum homogenates was determined by a biochemical kit. Data were presented as mean±SD (n=6). ^* P<0.05, ^** P<0.01, ^*** P<0.001, vs. the control group. ^# P<0.05, ^## P<0.01, ^### P<0.001, vs. the alcohol group. n.s.: no significance (P>0.05). mRNA: messenger RNA; cDNA: complementary DNA; IL-1β: interleukin-1β; IL-6: interleukin-6; TNF ‍ - ‍ α: tumor necrosis factor-‍α; qPCR: quantitative polymerase chain reaction; iNOS: inducible nitric oxide synthase; SD: standard deviation.