# In Vitro Antioxidant and Anti-Neuroinflammatory Effects of Elsholtzia blanda (Benth.) Benth

## TL;DR

This study shows that Elsholtzia blanda extract reduces inflammation and oxidative stress in brain cells, suggesting it could help prevent neuroinflammatory diseases.

## Contribution

The study demonstrates the anti-neuroinflammatory and antioxidant effects of Elsholtzia blanda extract in LPS-stimulated microglial cells.

## Key findings

- EBB extract suppressed LPS-induced nitric oxide production and proinflammatory cytokine secretion.
- EBB reduced the expression of iNOS, TNF-α, IL-6, and other inflammatory markers in a concentration-dependent manner.
- EBB inhibited ROS production and enhanced HO-1 expression, indicating antioxidant activity.

## Abstract

Elsholtzia blanda (Benth.) Benth. (EBB) is a traditional plant in Nepal with bioactive properties, including antioxidant, cytotoxic, and antitumor activities. In this study, a methanol EBB extract was tested to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced microglial (BV2) cells. EBB effectively suppressed LPS-induced nitric oxide production and inhibited the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin (IL)-6. In LPS-stimulated BV2 cells, EBB significantly inhibited inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, IL-8, IL-18, and IL-10 mRNA expression in a concentration-dependent manner. In particular, EBB significantly reduced the protein expression of iNOS and cyclooxygenase-2, which were upregulated by LPS. Further, EBB could alleviate the inflammatory response in microglia by suppressing the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases. EBB also attenuated LPS-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) in BV2 cells. In addition, EBB enhanced heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) protein and mRNA expression. The present results show that an EBB extract could effectively suppress the neuroinflammatory response induced by LPS in BV2 cells. Accordingly, an EBB extract is a promising preventive agent against diseases involving neuroinflammatory responses.