Evaluation of in vitro anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of Korean and Chinese Lonicera caerulea

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE:The honeysuckle berry (HB) contains ascorbic acid and phenolic components, especially anthocyanins, flavonoids, and low-molecular-weight phenolic acids.In order to examine the potential of HB as a hepatoprotective medicinal food, we evaluated the in vitro anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of Korean HB (HBK) and Chinese HB (HBC).MATERIALS/METHODS: Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of the extracts were examined in HepG2 and RAW 264.7 cells, respectively.The anti-oxidant capacity was determined by DPPH, SOD, CAT, and ARE luciferase activities.The production of nitric oxide (NO) as an inflammatory marker was also evaluated.The Nrf2-mediated mRNA levels of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), NAD(P)H dehydrogenase [quinone] 1 (Nqo1), and glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (Gclc) were measured.The concentrations of HB extracts used were 3, 10, 30, 100, and 300 μg/mL.RESULTS: The radical scavenging activity of all HB extracts increased in a concentration-dependent manner (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05).SOD (P < 0.05) and CAT (P < 0.01) activities were increased by treatment with 300 μg/mL of each HB extract, when compared to those in the control.NO production was observed in cells pretreated with 100 or 300 μg/mL of HBC and HBK (P < 0.01).Treatment with 300 μg/mL of HBC significantly increased Nqo1 (P < 0.01) and Gclc (P < 0.05) mRNA levels compared to those in the control.Treatment with 300 μg/mL of HBK (P < 0.05) and HBC (P < 0.01) also significantly increased the HO-1 mRNA level compared to that in the control.CONCLUSIONS: Thus, the Korean and Chinese HBs were found to possess favorable in vitro anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.Nrf2 and its related anti-oxidant genes were associated with both anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities in HB-treated cells.Further studies are needed to confirm these in vivo effects.