Antioxidant–Anti-Inflammatory Evaluation of a Polyherbal Formula

Abstract

Most disease—both acute and chronic—results from inflammation, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) are considered some of the strongest stimuli of inflammation. Many studies reported the traditional use of herbal species for treating inflammation, especially when ROS are involved. The present study aims to demonstrate the antioxidant–anti-inflammatory effects of a patented preparation based on Populus nigra and Rosmarinus officinalis extracts and to highlight its applicative potential; the formula was characterized by HPTLC and HPLC and in-vitro studies were conducted on TNF-α-stimulated HUVECs. The antioxidant activity of the formula was determined by DPPH assay and the phosphomolybdenum method; to assess in-vivo anti-inflammatory activity, a rat paw edema model was used; the formula contains high amounts of polyphenols. It exhibited scavenging activity of 50–85% at 1–10 mg/mL, it inhibited nitrite production and ICAM-1 expression in TNF-α-stimulated endothelial cell cultures dose-dependently, at a maximum of 58.7% at the maximum dose administered and exerted an obvious anti-inflammatory effect in vivo, settling early and decreasing at 180 min; a new herbal bioactive product was presented with promising therapeutic potential that can be an adjunct to conventional therapies for diseases based on oxidative stress and inflammation.