Background: This study tested the ability of a characterized extract of Polygonum cuspidatum (PCE) to inhibit mouse ear inflammation in response to topical application of 12-Otetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA).

Hyaluronidase hydrolyzes glycosaminoglycans, including hyaluronan, in the extracellular matrix during tissue remodeling. Hyaluronidase activity increases in chronic inflammatory conditions, e.g., inflammatory joint disease. In this study, we tested the ability of ethanolic extracts (1:9 [wt/vol] of 50% ethanol) of bran from six cultivated varieties of Sorghum bicolor to inhibit hyaluronidase activity in vitro in comparison to extracts of wheat and rice bran. Each extract inhibited hyaluronidase activity with this order of potency: Sumac > Shanqui Red > Black > Mycogen > Fontanelle > White sorghum. Extracts of wheat and rice bran had weak inhibitory activities relative to the high phenolic sorghum brans. Hyaluronidase inhibition correlated positively with total phenolic content and ferric reducing antioxidant power values for each bran extract. Inhibition was not only due to condensed tannins (proanthocyanidins) because the Black sorghum cultivar lacks condensed tannins but has abundant anthocyanins and other polyphenols. Since hyaluronidase activity is important in conditions such as osteoarthritis and skin aging, these sorghum varieties deserve consideration for functional foods and beverages, and for nutraceutical and cosmeceutical ingredients.

The ability of muscadine grape skin, seed, or combined skin and seed extracts to inhibit mouse ear inflammation, edema, and polymorphonuclear leukocyte infiltration was tested following topical application of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA). Ethanolic extracts of skins, seeds, or a combination of these from purple (Ison) cultivars were applied to both ears of female Swiss mice 30 minutes after TPA (2 microg per ear) administration. Control mice were treated with indomethacin or 50% ethanol vehicle 30 minutes after TPA. Ear thickness was measured before TPA and at 4 and 24 hours post-TPA administration to assess ear edema. Ear punch biopsies were collected at 24 hours and weighed as a second marker of edema. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) (EC 1.11.1.7) activity was measured in each ear punch biopsy as an index of neutrophil infiltration. Extracts of muscadine skin, seed, and combination treatments significantly reduced ear edema, ear biopsy weight, and MPO activity compared to TPA vehicle control. There was no significant difference in anti-inflammatory activity of the skin and seed extracts. However, an additive effect was observed with the combination treatment that was statistically similar to the anti-inflammatory activity of indomethacin treatment. It can be concluded that muscadine skin, seed, and combination skin/seed extracts exhibit significant topical anti-inflammatory properties.

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