Nutr Res Pract.  2018 Dec;12(6):486-493. 10.4162/nrp.2018.12.6.486.

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

• Lee YS
• Cho IJ
• Kim JW
• Lee SK
• Ku SK
• Lee HJ

• KMID: 2448693
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4162/nrp.2018.12.6.486

Abstract

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES
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.

Keyword

Honeysuckle berry; hepatoprotective effect

MeSH Terms

Animals
Anthocyanins
Ascorbic Acid
Asian Continental Ancestry Group*
Catalytic Domain
Cats
Flavonoids
Fruit
Glutamate-Cysteine Ligase
Heme Oxygenase-1
Humans
In Vitro Techniques*
Lonicera*
Luciferases
Nitric Oxide
Oxidoreductases
Phenol
RAW 264.7 Cells
RNA, Messenger
Anthocyanins
Ascorbic Acid
Flavonoids
Glutamate-Cysteine Ligase
Heme Oxygenase-1
Luciferases
Nitric Oxide
Oxidoreductases
Phenol
RNA, Messenger

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 DPPH scavenging activities of honeysuckle berry extracts DPPH, 2, 2-Diphenyl-1-Picrylhydrazyl; LSD, least-significant differences; HBK, Korean honeysuckle berry; HBC, Chinese honeysuckle berry. Values are expressed as mean ± SD. Significant compared to the control (100 µM Trolox-treated) by LSD test. **P < 0.01; *P < 0.05.

• 

  Fig. 2 Effect of honeysuckle berry extract on the viability of HepG2 cells (A) Cell viability by MTT assay. (B) Cell viability induced by t-BHP. MTT, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide; t-BHP, tert-butyl hydroperoxides; HBK, Korean honeysuckle berry; HBC, Chinese honeysuckle berry. Values were expressed as mean ± SD. Significant compared to the control by Dunnett's test, **P < 0.01 compared to t-BHP treated cells by Dunnett's test; ##P < 0.01; #P < 0.05.

• 

  Fig. 3 Effect of honeysuckle berry extract in HepG2 cells (A) Nrf2 transactivation. (B) Nrf2-dependent anti-oxidant gene expressions. (C) SOD activity. (D) CAT activity. HBK, Korean honeysuckle berry; HBC, Chinese honeysuckle berry; Nrf2, nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2; SOD, superoxide dismutase; CAT, catalase. Values are expressed as mean ± SD. Significant compared to the control by least-significant differences (LSD) test. **P < 0.01; *P < 0.05.

• 

  Fig. 4 Effect of honeysuckle berry extract in RAW 264.7 cells (A) Cell viability by MTT assay. (B) Lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-mediated cell viability. (C) LPS-mediated NO production. HBK, Korean honeysuckle berry; HBC, Chinese honeysuckle berry; MTT, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide; NO, nitric oxide. Values are expressed as mean ± SD. Significant compared to the control by Dunnett's test. *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01 compared to LPS-treated cells by Dunnett's test; ##P < 0.01.

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