Cytotoxicity and anti-inflammatory effects of polyherbal formulations, Joint Pain Spl and Rumalaya Forte on lipopolysaccharide induced inflammation in IC-21 macrophages.

Abstract

AIM\nTo test the effectiveness of marketed polyherbal formulations on lipopolysaccharide induced inflammatory conditions in macrophages.\n\n\nBACKGROUND\nUsage of herbal compounds among patients suffered by arthritis and cancer is increasing every year. Many anti-inflammatory herbal products available in the market should be screened thoroughly for their possible mechanism of action.\n\n\nOBJECTIVE\nJoint Pain Spl (JPS) is a polyherbal dietary food supplement composed of 13 herbal plants and Rumalaya Forte (RF) is a polyherbal formulation comprising of 6 herbal plants were tested for its cytotoxicity, as well as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity in LPS treated IC-21 peritoneal macrophages.\n\n\nMETHODS\nCommercially available JPS and RF powder was used to prepare the extract. The aqueous and methanol extracts were quantified for the presence of phenolic and flavonoid compound and confirmed with HPLC. In vitro DPPH free scavenging activity was performed. Cytotoxicity was tested by MTT assay. Anti-inflammatory activity was tested using lipopolysaccharide stimulated IC-21 peritoneal macrophage cells.\n\n\nRESULTS\nThe phytochemical screening showed the presence of phenolic and flavonoid compounds in JPS and RF. The aqueous and methanol extracts of JPS and RF possesses significant DPPH free radical scavenging activity. MTT assay revealed that 90.64% (aqueous extract) and 92.21% (methanol extract) of exposed macrophages are viable even after 24h exposure of maximal tested concentrations of herbal formulations. Pre-treatment of JPS and RF on LPS induced IC-21 macrophages showed an reduction in nitric oxide production (maximal 79.95%) and high level of superoxide anion scavenging activity (maximal 82.5%) over control.\n\n\nCONCLUSION\nThe two tested poly herbal formulations such as JPS and RF possesses anti-inflammatory activity by modulating free radical generation in IC-21 macrophages. Thus the presence of the phenolic and flavonoid compounds may contribute to the antioxidant activity.