Phytochemical Study of Stachys iva Griseb. and In Vitro Evaluation of AhR Transcriptional Activity

Genus Stachys L. consists of approximately 365 species, distributed mainly in temperate regions. Several members of this genus are widely used in the traditional medicine of different countries worldwide. In Greece, 54 Stachys taxa are found in parts of the mainland and/or insular country. The present study focused on the phytochemical investigation of Stachys iva Griseb. and the in vitro anti-inflammatory evaluation of the isolated compounds. In total, eighteen compounds were isolated and identified from the dichloromethane-methanol extract, belonging to iridoids, flavonoids, phenylethanoid glycosides, and phenolic acids. An in vitro approach assessed the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) modulatory effects of these compounds, revealing an AhR agonistic activity of the flavonoid aglycones apigenin and cirsimaritin in HepG2 and HT29 cell lines. The present study contributes to the evidence of the traditional uses of Stachys spp. and its bioactive constituents, justifying the ethnopharmacological use as an anti-inflammatory plant genus.