Anti-inflammatory activity of Vitex negundo, Boswellia serrata and Aegle marmelos leaf extracts in LPS treated A549 cells

Abstract

The present study aims to evaluate the therapeutic properties of the medicinal plants ( Vitex negundo, Aegle marmelos and Boswellia serrata) for their potential anti-inflammatory activity in LPS treated human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells. A549 cells were treated with or without LPS and methanolic leaf extracts of the above medicinal plants and the cell viability and nitric oxide production was measured by MTT assay and Griess reaction respectively. Expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines mRNAs (IL-8 and TNF-?) was measured by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. The methanolic leaf extracts of all the 3 plants significantly decreased the LPS induced NO production and pro-inflammatory cytokines expression. Out of the 3 plants tested, Vitex negundo and Aegle marmelos leaf extracts at 50 and 100g/ml show potent anti-inflammatory activity. The novel pharmacological action provide new avenue for the isolation and purification of phytochemicals from Vitex negundo and Aegle marmelos that may be of therapeutic modality for the treatment of inflammation.