EVALUATION OF THE IN VITRO ANTI-INFLAMMATORY POTENTIAL OF HYDROETHANOLIC EXTRACT OF Miconia albicans LEAVES (CANELA-DE-VELHO)

Introduction: The inflammatory process plays a critical role in the exacerbation of several diseases. Current treatment options often come with a range of side effects that can limit their clinical utility. To control inflammation and minimize adverse effects, there is a growing interest in phytoconstituents as potential therapeutic agents. In this context, Miconia albicans (Sw.) has attracted increasing attention. Commonly known as ”canela-de-velho”, this plant species has been used in traditional medicine to treat arthritis, osteoarthritis, and other inflammatory conditions¹. Despite this, scientific evidence that supports its activities and justifies its use remains scarce. Thus, this study aims to investigate the anti-inflammatory potential of the hydroethanolic extract of M. albicans (MaAqEt). Methods and Results: Initially, the cytotoxicity of MaAqEt was assessed on the J774A.1 macrophage cell line using the MTT assay. Next, stimulated cells were used to evaluate the potential of MaAqEt to reduce inflammatory mediators: nitric oxide (NO – Griess reaction) and cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α (ELISA). The results demonstrated that MaAqEt exhibited acceptable cytotoxicity (viability higher than 70% - ISO 10993-5:2009) at concentrations up to 200 μg/mL. In addition, MaAqEt was effective in reducing NO production at all concentrations tested, compared to the untreated control, and reached undetectable levels of NO at 200 μg/mL. Regarding inflammatory cytokines, although no significant difference was found for TNF-α, the extract was able to inhibit IL-1β and IL-6, achieving more than 90% reduction in both cytokines, when used at 200 μg/mL. Conclusion: The analyzed concentrations of MaAqEt demonstrated significant anti-inflammatory activity in vitro, reducing the production of inflammatory mediators. Although more comprehensive studies are still needed, MaAqEt shows promise for the treatment of inflammatory conditions.

1 J.  Ethnopharmacol. (2020) 258:112938