Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of visual impairment in developed countries. Inflammation serves a critical role in the pathogenesis of AMD.
Gardenia jasminoides
is found in several regions of China and is traditionally used as an organic yellow dye but has also been widely used as a therapeutic agent in numerous diseases, including inflammation, depression, hepatic and vascular disorders, which may reflect the variability of functional compounds that are present in
Gardenia jasminoides
extracts (GJE). To investigate the therapeutic potential of GJE for AMD, ARPE-19 cells were treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or LPS plus GJE. GJE significantly decreased LPS-induced expression of proinflammatory cytokines, including IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α. In the
in vivo
study, GJE inhibited CuSO4-induced migration of primitive macrophages to the lateral line in zebrafish embryos. GJE also attenuated expression of cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α), NFKB activating protein (
nkap
) and TLR4 in ARPE-19 cells. The results of the present study demonstrated the anti-inflammatory potential of GJE
in vitro
and
in vivo
, and suggested GJE as a therapeutic candidate for AMD.