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Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Oxidant Effects of Extracts from Plants

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A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Bioactives and Nutraceuticals".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2026 | Viewed by 7801

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Dr. Sheila Leone

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Guest Editor

Department of Pharmacy, “G. d’Annunzio” University, Via dei Vestini 31, 66100 Chieti, Italy
Interests: emotional behavior; anxiety; depression; inflammation; oxidative stress; obesity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Lucia Recinella

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Guest Editor

Department of Pharmacy, “G. d’Annunzio” University, Via dei Vestini 31, 66100 Chieti, Italy
Interests: pharmaco-toxicological evaluations of herbal extracts; neuroendocrine regulation; GHRH deficiency
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Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to invite you to contribute original research papers or review articles to the Special Issue "Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Oxidant Effects of Extracts from Plants".

Since ancient times, different plants have been used for therapeutic uses. In this context, a wide body of evidence suggested the potential activities of a number of plant extracts commonly used in traditional medicine as well as natural compounds exhibiting innovative action modes as possible remedies for various diseases. In particular, plant extracts have long been reported to contrast oxidative stress and inflammatory response related to various diseases, including diabetes, atherosclerosis, cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, inflammatory bowel diseases, prostatitis, and cancer. The protective effects induced by plant extracts were related to a reduction in various pro-inflammatory and oxidative biomarkers, such as reactive oxygen/nitrogen (ROS/RNS) species, prostaglandins, and cytokines.

The aim of this Special Issue is to further deepen current knowledge of plant extracts for the prevention and treatment of both inflammation- and oxidative stress-related disorders.

Dr. Sheila Leone
Dr. Lucia Recinella
Guest Editors

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Keywords

oxidative stress
inflammation
herbal extracts

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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23 pages, 11026 KB

Open AccessArticle

Rice-Fried and Sun-Dried Ginseng: A Comparative Study of Chemical Composition and Protective Effects Against Ulcerative Colitis

by Qi Chu, Yidan Zhang, Junbao Li, Jiaying Sun, Guanlin Liu and Hongmei Gao

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(5), 2140; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27052140 - 25 Feb 2026

Viewed by 507

Abstract

Ginseng (Panax ginseng C. A. Mey.), a traditional Chinese medicine, exhibits spleen-fortifying, anti-inflammatory, and anti-ulcerative colitis (UC) effects. Rice-fried ginseng (RFG), prepared by stir-frying with rice together, yields a marked enrichment of rare ginsenosides, which is hypothesized to enhance its anti-inflammatory and anti-UC effects. Therefore, in this study, the chemical compositions of RFG and sun-dried ginseng (SDG) were systematically compared using LC–MS combined with MS-DIAL, and their protective effects against UC were evaluated using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced Caco-2 cells and a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced UC mouse model. Rice-frying markedly altered the chemical composition of ginseng, and a total of 64 major compounds were identified, of which 31 increased and 33 decreased after processing. These compositional changes were associated with enhanced anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects of RFG. Consistently, RFG enhanced Caco-2 cell viability, decreased TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6, and increased ZO-1, occludin, claudin-1, and E-cadherin. In DSS-induced UC mice, RFG attenuated body weight loss, reduced DAI, increased colon length, and decreased the spleen index, accompanied by improved histopathology, reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine levels, and increased expression of tight-junction proteins (TJPs) in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, RFG ameliorated DSS-induced gut microbiota dysbiosis. Metabolomics and network pharmacology analyses highlighted disturbances in linoleic acid and arachidonic acid metabolism and emphasized the involvement of the PI3K–Akt and NF-κB signaling pathways. Western blotting demonstrated decreased phosphorylation of PI3K, Akt, IKKβ, and NF-κB after RFG intervention. Overall, compared with SDG, RFG showed stronger protective effects in vitro and in vivo, accompanied by improved inflammatory readouts, altered lipid-related metabolites and gut microbiota profiles, and reduced phosphorylation of PI3K, Akt, IKKβ, and NF-κB. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Oxidant Effects of Extracts from Plants)

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15 pages, 2576 KB

Open AccessArticle

Intestinal Protective Effects of a Pomegranate Peel Extract in In Vitro and Ex Vivo Studies

by Lucia Recinella, Alessandra Acquaviva, Annalisa Bruno, Davide Ciaramellano, Angelica Pia Centulio, Melania Dovizio, Cristina Milillo, Massimo Mozzon, Daniele Generali, Gianluca Genovesi, Giustino Orlando, Annalisa Chiavaroli, Claudio Ferrante, Patrizia Ballerini, Luigi Brunetti and Sheila Leone

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(3), 1603; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27031603 - 6 Feb 2026

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Abstract

Recovery of nutritional and bioactive molecules by pomegranate peel (PP) has found wide applications in food and pharmaceutical industries. We investigated protective effects of a PP extract (PPE) from Mediterranean (Mazara del Vallo, Italy) on intestinal inflammation by using in vitro and ex vivo models. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels, as well as tight junction protein-1 (ZO-1) expression, were determined in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-injured Caco-2 cells treated with PPE. We evaluated anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of PPE in isolated colon specimens of adult male mouse (C57/BL6) stimulated by LPS. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), nuclear factor-kB (NF-kB), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), as well as catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (i-NOS) gene expression was determined. We also characterized phytochemical composition of the extract through chromatographic (HPLC-UV) and spectrophotometric techniques. PPE was rich in punicalagins A and B, along with other polyphenols such as hydroxytyrosol (HT), catechin, p-coumaric acid, and rosmarinic acid. In Caco-2 cells, PPE reduced ROS generation and LDH release, restoring intestinal barrier integrity by upregulating ZO-1 expression. In addition, PPE increased SOD, CAT, and GPX and suppressed COX-2, NF-kB, TNF-α, IL-1β and i-NOS LPS-induced gene expression in colon. PPE mitigates inflammation and oxidative stress, restoring intestinal barrier function. The beneficial effects induced by the extract could be related to the pattern of polyphenolic composition, with particular regard to HT, rosmarinic acid, p-coumaric acid, catechin, as well as punicalagins A and B. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Oxidant Effects of Extracts from Plants)

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21 pages, 2340 KB

Open AccessArticle

Biological Activities Underlying the Cardiovascular Benefits of Olive Oil Polyphenols: Focus on Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, and Anti-Atherogenic Effects

by Kaoutar Boumezough, Mehdi Alami, Tamas Fulop, Nada Zoubdane, Ikram Salih, Mhamed Ramchoun, Abdelouahed Khalil and Hicham Berrougui

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(22), 11165; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms262211165 - 19 Nov 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1774

Abstract

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) polyphenols are recognized for their beneficial effects on human health, yet how their concentration shapes biological outcomes remains insufficiently explored. While a daily intake of 25 mL EVOO is generally regarded as beneficial for cardiovascular protection, the high-phenolic EVOO examined in this study contains markedly higher levels of polyphenols than most EVOOs reported previously. This suggests that oils richer in polyphenols may exert distinct biological effects. To investigate this, we compared extracts from a standard EVOO and a naturally high-phenolic EVOO, along with their key phenolic compounds, hydroxytyrosol (HT) and tyrosol (Tyr). Antioxidant effects were assessed by quantifying intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxidation. Anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated in THP-1-derived macrophages stimulated with LPS by analyzing inflammatory surface markers’ expression, cytokines’ production, and the NLRP3-inflammasome pathway. Atheroprotective potential was investigated by measuring cholesterol efflux in J774 macrophages. Both EVOO polyphenols extracts and (HT and Tyr) significantly reduced ROS and lipid peroxidation. High phenolic EVOO extract (EVOOPE+) displayed superior antioxidant activity at lower concentrations, while standard EVOO phenolic extract (EVOOPE) showed more consistent effects across doses. Both extracts favored an anti-inflammatory macrophage phenotype, as indicated by increased CD163 and IL-10 expression and reduced CD86, IFN-α, and NLRP3. Moreover, all treatments enhanced cholesterol efflux in a dose-dependent manner, with EVOOPE+ and HT producing the strongest effects. Collectively, these results highlight the capacity of EVOO polyphenols to modulate, through key bioactivity mechanisms, cardioprotective effects and emphasize the importance of polyphenols concentration in their biological efficacy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Oxidant Effects of Extracts from Plants)

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16 pages, 7796 KB

Open AccessArticle

Glycine soja Leaf and Stem Extract Ameliorates Atopic Dermatitis-like Skin Inflammation by Inhibiting JAK/STAT Signaling

by Yoon-Young Sung, Misun Kim, Dong-Seon Kim and Eunjung Son

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(10), 4560; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26104560 - 9 May 2025

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2625

Abstract

Wild soybean (Glycine soja, GS) is a traditional medicine used to treat inflammation. In this study, the anti-atopic properties of GS leaf and stem extract on skin inflammation were evaluated in the Dermatophagoides farinae-extract-induced mouse model and keratinocytes. Oral administration of the GS extract reduced scratching, dermatitis score, transepidermal water loss, thickness of epidermis, inflammatory cell accumulation, and serum concentrations of thymic stromal lymphopoietin and immunoglobulin E. GS downregulated the expression of inflammatory gene markers of atopic dermatitis (AD), including interleukin (IL)-6; regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES); thymus- and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC); and macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC) and upregulated the expression of filaggrin, a keratinocyte differentiation marker, in skin tissue. GS downregulated Janus kinase 1, signal transducer and activation of transcription (STAT) 1, and STAT3 pathways. Using ultra-performance liquid chromatography, we identified seven flavonoids in GS extract, including apigenin, epicatechin, genistein, genistin, daidzin, daidzein, and soyasaponin Bb. GS, apigenin, and genistein reduced the expression of IL-6, MDC, TARC, and RANTES and increased filaggrin via the downregulation of STAT3 phosphorylation in interferon-γ/tumor necrosis factor-α-stimulated keratinocytes. Our results suggest that GS leaf and stem extract ameliorates AD-like skin inflammation by regulating the immune response and restoring skin barrier function. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Oxidant Effects of Extracts from Plants)

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Review

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31 pages, 1080 KB

Open AccessReview

Modulation of Toll-like Receptors with Natural Compounds: A Therapeutic Avenue Against Inflammaging?

by Corina Andrei, Ciprian Pușcașu, George Mihai Nitulescu and Anca Zanfirescu

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(23), 11305; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms262311305 - 22 Nov 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1415

Abstract

Chronic low-grade inflammation, or “inflammaging,” is a defining feature of aging and a key driver of functional decline. Among innate immune sensors, Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are central mediators linking cellular stress to sterile inflammation, yet their modulation in physiological aging remains largely overlooked. This review bridges that gap by integrating molecular and clinical evidence on age-associated TLR remodeling and summarizing preclinical data on natural compounds that suppress TLR signaling. Across diverse inflammatory models, phytochemicals such as curcumin, quercetin, resveratrol, baicalin, and glycyrrhizin consistently downregulate Toll-like receptor 2- (TLR2-), Toll-like receptor 4- (TLR4-), and Toll-like receptor 9- (TLR9-) dependent myeloid differentiation primary response 88 (MyD88)/nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB)/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways, lowering interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor- α (TNF-α) while enhancing IL-10. These mechanisms mirror the molecular signature of inflammaging, supporting TLRs as actionable targets for restoring immune balance. Collectively, the evidence positions natural TLR modulators as a promising, yet untapped, avenue for promoting healthy aging and extending healthspan. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Oxidant Effects of Extracts from Plants)

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