TNF and gastric ulcer: Previous studies have reported that the total flavonoids from A. officinarum induced a protective effect by reducing inflammatory mediators, such as interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), in in vivo and in vitro models of a gastric ulcer [14].