The medicinal herb Spatholobus suberectus with promising in vitro antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potentials and its phytochemical characterization by RP-HPLC analysis

Abstract

The hot-water extract of Spatholobus suberectus (SWE) was investigated for antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 murine macrophage cells, and a simple reverse-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) method was used for phytochemical study of the SWE. SWE dose-dependently scavenged free radicals, showed no cytotoxicity even for LPS-induced macrophage cells, reduced the production of nitric oxide caused by LPS in culture, and decreased protein expression of iNOS and COX-II in cells co-treated with LPS. For phytochemical analysis, SWE showed a greater phenolic content, which was 177.6 mg/g. Using RP-HPLC analysis, its major phenolic compound, gallic acid, was identified and quantified to be 108.43 mg/g of SWE. These results indicate that gallic acid-rich SWE offers a potential therapeutic alternative to the treatment or prevention of inflammation-related diseases. Practical applications The study demonstrates the systematic antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of SWE and their molecular mechanisms in LPS-stimulated macrophage cells. The hot-water extract of Spatholobus suberectus contained the highest amount of phenolics especially gallic acid, which is safe for human consumption, and could be used to develop functional foods or nutraceuticals for preventing the inflammatory related disorders.