engleski

Anti-inflammatory potential of Croatian indigenous Micromeria species rich in rosmarinic acid

Micromeria species are rich sources of essential oils and polyphenols. They are traditionally used against colds, wounds, skin infections, headache, cardiac disorders, and digestive system problems. The important representatives of genus Micromeria in Croatian flora are M. croatica (Pers.) Schott, M. thymifolia (Scop.) Fritsch and M. juliana (L.) Bentham ex Reichenb. The first two are endemic species in Croatia and in some neighbouring countries, while M. juliana is more widely distributed in Mediterranean region. The aim of the study was to evaluate polyphenolic profile and anti-inflammatory potential of these Croatian indigenous plants. Total phenolic acid and flavonoid contents (5.26-6.84% and 0.01-0.09%, respectively) in dried aerial parts were determined spectrophotometrically. Furthermore, eleven hydroxycinnamic derivatives and fifteen flavonoids were identified in the ethanolic extracts by LC-ESI-MS/MS. Most of them were detected in the studied plant species for the first time, such as cryptochlorogenic and salvianolic acids. Rosmarinic acid (13.50-26.1 mg/g) was found to be the predominant constituent (RP-HPLC-DAD). The Micromeria ethanolic extracts inhibited Src tyrosine kinase activity in the time-resolved fluorescence resonance energy transfer (TR-FRET) assay. Modulation of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in LPS-stimulated mouse splenocytes by tested extract was determined using ELISA assay. The plant extracts reduced the production of proinflammatory cytokine IL-6, with a substantial contribution of rosmarinic acid contained. Our results indicated the multi-target mechanism of polyphenolic constituents of Micromeria species and highlighted their potential in the prevention and treatment of inflammatory-related diseases.

Micromeria, anti-infammatory, rosmarinic acid

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