Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Ethanol Extracts from Ulva pertusa Kjellman on LPS-induced RAW 264.7 Cells and Mouse Model

Abstract

Recently, various marine algae have been considered as a natural resource for anti-inflammation. In this research, we investigated the anti-inflammatory activity of Ulva pertusa Kjellman ethanol extract (UPKEE). This study showed that UPKEE inhibited the secretion of cytokines including IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β, and reduced the expression of NF-κB and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) as well as iNOS and COX-2. In the formation of mouse ear edema test, three doses (10, 50, 250 mg/kg body weight) of UPKEE showed inhibitory activity after inducing inflammation using croton oil. In conclusion, we found that UPKEE showed an inhibitory effect on NF-κB and MAPKs, and reduced the secretion of inflammatory cytokines. This result suggests that UPKEE can be used as a natural anti-inflammatory resource in food industry.