The water extract of Korean Filipendula glaberrima Nakai attenuates acute colitis by suppressing inflammation via the MAPK and NF-κB pathways

Colitis means inflammation of colon. For the safe treatment of colitis, drugs derived from natural products are attracting attention as a new alternative therapy. Filipendula glaberrima Nakai (FG) is a perennial plant in Korea. It is known to contain a variety of flavonoids with anti-inflammatory properties. In this study, the anti-inflammatory effects of the water extract of FG (FGW) were measured in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, FGW decreased the production of inflammatory mediators and its genes in LPS-stimulated macrophages. In addition, FGW downregulated the phosphorylation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway-related proteins. In vivo, administration of FGW improved the clinical symptoms of inflammation and repaired the damaged epithelium in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis mice. In conclusion, FGW has anti-inflammatory activity in vitro and in vivo and this activity was mediated through reducing the phosphorylation of the MAPK and NF-κB pathways

Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Filipendula glaberrima Nakai Ethanolic Extract and Its Chemical Composition

Many countries are endeavoring to strengthen the competitiveness of their biological resources by exploring and developing wild endemic plants. This study examined the effects of Filipendula glaberrima Nakai (FG) on the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity using an in vitro system. The bioactive components were also examined using chromatographic techniques. The ethanol extract of Filipendula glaberrima Nakai (FGE) exerted antioxidant activities in the radical scavenging and reducing power assays and had high amounts of total polyphenolic compounds. The qRT-PCR results suggested that FGE significantly downregulated the levels cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) 2, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and interleukin (IL)-6 in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. The FGE treatment also decreased the production of nitric oxide, TNF-α, and IL-6 significantly in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, FGE downregulated phosphorylation of MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathway-related proteins. The chromatographic and mass spectrometry results showed that FGE contained bioactive flavonoids such as (+)-catechin, miquelianin, quercitrin, and afzelin, which may be active compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. This study provides fundamental data on the anti-inflammatory activity of the FG and can serve as a good starting point for developing a novel natural anti-inflammatory agent using FGE-containing bioactive flavonoids