Abstract
Phytochemicals, bioactive compounds derived from plants, have drawn considerable attention for their ability to modulate inflammatory pathways, presenting promising alternatives for the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases. Inflammation, a complex biological response to injury or infection, involves a cascade of cellular and molecular events mediated by enzymes, cytokines, and reactive species. In vitro assays provide an essential platform for screening and investigating the anti-inflammatory potential of phytochemicals, offering valuable insights into their mechanisms of action. Commonly used techniques include the inhibition of protein denaturation and membrane stabilization, which evaluate the ability of compounds to prevent structural damage to proteins and cell membranes. Enzymatic assays, such as cyclooxygenase (COX) and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) inhibition tests, focus on the suppression of key enzymes involved in arachidonic acid metabolism, thereby reducing the production of pro-inflammatory mediators like prostaglandins and leukotrienes. Other assays, like proteinase and hyaluronidase inhibition tests, assess the ability of compounds to block enzymes contributing to tissue degradation and inflammation. These assays offer robust, reproducible frameworks for evaluating phytochemicals in preclinical research, helping to identify compounds with potential therapeutic value. However, their limitations, such as lack of in vivo context and inter-assay variability, necessitate their integration with complementary studies to validate findings and understand their translational significance. Keywords: Phytochemicals, in vitro methods, anti-inflammatory activity, protein denaturation, membrane stabilization
Published Version
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