Dietary Supplement With Tribulus terrestris L. Extract Exhibits Protective Effects on Neuroinflammation

Among herbal dietary supplements, an extract called Tribulus terrestris L. (TT) was widely used. We extracted an anti-neuroinflammatory active fraction (TTAI) from TT and demonstrated that it is expected to be developed as a dietary supplement for ameliorating neuroinflammation through activity and mechanism exploration. The anti-inflammatory activity of TT extract was evaluated by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The data showed that TTAI significantly reduced the LPS-induced increase in the levels of inflammatory factors in BV-2 cells. In addition, TTAI significantly elevates the level of anti-inflammatory factors. We applied metabolomics and transcriptomics to explore the pathways and targets underlying the therapeutic impact of TTAI in treating neuroinflammation. The results showed that TTAI could reverse the expression of 40 metabolic biomarkers that significantly changed in LPS-induced BV-2 inflammation models, including Cer, LPC, LPI, serine, lysin, and arginine, TTAI effectively regulated the expression levels of 235 genes, including Ptgs1, Pla2g7, and Plin2. Our data suggested that TTAI may function through PI3K/AKT and MAPK signaling pathways. This study uncovers the mechanisms behind the efficacy of TTAI in treating neuroinflammation, which not only confirms its potential as a dietary supplement, but also expands its potential medicinal applications.