Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Activities of Crude Protein Extracts from Etlingera pavieana Rhizomes Grown at Different Cultivation Sites in Thailand

This study investigated the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of crude protein extracts derived from Etlingera pavieana rhizomes cultivated in three eastern provinces in Thailand: Rayong, Chanthaburi, and Trat. Crude proteins were extracted using Tris-HCl buffer, and protein profiles were evaluated by SDS-PAGE. Anti-inflammatory activity was assessed via nitric oxide (NO) inhibition in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages, while antioxidant activity was assessed using DPPH radical scavenging, metal-chelating, and reducing power assays. All the crude protein extracts exhibited dose-dependent biological activities, with no significant cytotoxicity observed. The extract from Trat rhizomes showed the highest NO inhibition, DPPH scavenging activity, and reducing power, while the Rayong sample exhibited the strongest metal chelation. The findings demonstrate that the cultivation site affects the bioactivity of crude protein extracts, underscoring the potential application of E. pavieana rhizome proteins as functional ingredients in food or nutraceutical products.