Anti-inflammatory potential of Aronia melanocarpa leaf phenolic extract via NF-κB pathway suppression in...

Bioactive compounds are recognized for their ability to modulate immune cell activity and reduce inflammation. Polyphenols derived from Aronia leaves offer multiple biological activities; however, their role in regulating inflammatory responses remains poorly understood. This study aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of Aronia melanocarpa leaf phenolic extract (APE) in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells.

At concentrations up to 50 µg/mL, APE exerted no cytotoxic effects in MTT assays performed with and without 1 µg/mL LPS-stimulated macrophages. APE significantly inhibited nitric oxide production in LPS-stimulated cells, as determined by the Griess method. Furthermore, treatment with APE (10, 25, 50 µg/mL) effectively decreased mRNA and protein expression of pro-inflammatory mediators, including IL-1β, COX-2 and iNOS, as analyzed by qPCR and Western blot, respectively. Additionally, Western blot analysis showed that APE modulated the NF-κB signaling pathway by downregulating the phosphorylation of NF-κB p65 and IκB-α, thereby suppressing NF-κB activation in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells.

The findings suggest that polyphenols in Aronia leaves exert potent anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway and suppressing pro-inflammatory mediators. Therefore, Aronia leaf extract may serve as a promising candidate for the development of therapeutic agents that support the treatment of inflammation-related diseases.