In this study, we determined the anti-infl ammatory activity and mechanism of action of a hexane fraction (hWRF) obtained from white Rosa hybrida fl owers by employing various assays such as quantitative real-time PCR, Western blotting, and Electrophoretic-Mobility Shift Assay (EMSA). The results revealed that the hWRF had excellent anti-infl ammatory potency by reducing infl ammatory repertoires, such as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), interleukin-1β, and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in RAW264.7 cells when stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a pro-infl ammatory mediator. The reduction of nitric oxide (NO) release from RAW 264.7 cells supported the anti-infl ammatory effect of hWRF. Interestingly, hWRF effectively inhibited LPS-mediated nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) p65 subunit translocation into the nucleus and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 phosphorylation, suggesting that hWRF anti-infl ammatory activity may be based on inhibition of the NF-κB and MAPK pathways. Based on the fi ndings described in this study, hWRF holds promise for use as a potential anti-infl ammatory agent for either therapeutic or functional adjuvant purposes. Abstract which contribute to their chemopreventive potential (Surh et al., 2001). Moreover, natural anti-infl ammatory or immunomodulatory plant metabolites, which are abundant in fractionated extracts, have therapeutic effects against various chronic diseases, by inducing or suppressing specifi c cellular infl ammatory activities and the associated molecular signaling pathways (Aravindaram and Yang, 2010). Some polyphenols, such as catechines from green tea, appear to be the primary bioactive compounds in the suppression of key cytokines that are secreted during the infl ammation cascade (De Mjia et al., 2009;Gosslau et al., 2011a).The rose (genus Rosa), allied to its use as a source of aromatic oils for the perfume industry, has been an alternative model for pharmaceutical candidates to treat diabetes mellitus, pain, and infl ammatory diseases (Cho et al., 2003;Ng et al., 2005). Previously, we reported that the hexane fraction from white rose fl owers, which may contain high amounts of