Inhibition of free radicals and inflammation on RAW264.7 macrophage cell line by Arthrospira platensis extract

Inflammation and oxidative stress are key drivers of various diseases. Arthrospira platensis is a filamentous cyanobacterium and exhibits significant high nutritional value. Biological activities of A. platensis extract (APE) against free radicals and inflammation on LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells were investigated in this study. The results showed that APE exhibited high levels of total protein, phycobiliprotein and phenolic compound. LC-MS profiling further confirmed the presence of multiple antioxidant metabolites, including glutathione and ergothioneine. APE exhibited low toxicity toward RAW264.7 cells. The anti-inflammatory activity of APE was evaluated on LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells, where it significantly suppressed the expression of the iNOS gene and iNOS protein, as well as inhibited NO secretion. Additionally, the anti-inflammatory effects of APE were assessed by measuring the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6) and the anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-10) in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. The results indicated that APE significantly reduced TNF-α and IL-6 levels while increasing IL-10 production, suggesting strong anti-inflammatory potential. Moreover, the ability of APE to inhibit intracellular reactive oxygen and nitrogen species was also investigated. The findings revealed that APE effectively suppressed both reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species on LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Furthermore, APE significantly reduced lipid peroxidation as indicated by decreased malondialdehyde levels and improved the glutathione redox status. The effects were more pronounced than treatment with exogenous L-glutathione alone, suggesting the synergistic antioxidant capacity of APE. Therefore, these findings highlight the potential of A. platensis extract as a functional ingredient for the prevention or management of inflammation and oxidative stress-related conditions.