Evaluation of the Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Selected Plant Extracts in an In Vitro Model of Inflammation Using LPS-Stimulated Macrophages

Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), is a group of chronic gastrointestinal (GI) diseases with complex and multifactorial pathophysiology. The global prevalence of IBD is increasing, highlighting the need to develop new therapeutic approaches. Plant-derived extracts have recently gained prominence due to their anti-inflammatory properties. Methods: This study investigated: apricot leaves (ALE), peach leaves (PLE), black chokeberry fruit (BCHE), rosehip seeds (RSE), passion fruit seeds (PSE), and linden blossom (LBE) (all at the concentration 10–200 µg/mL) in RAW 264.7 mouse macrophages. Cytotoxicity was assessed using the neutral red uptake (NRU) assay, and anti-inflammatory activity was assessed using Griess assay in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation. Additionally, the mRNA expression levels of key inflammatory genes (interferon-γ (Ifn-γ), interleukin-6 (Il-6), nitric oxide synthase (Nos2), and tumor necrosis factor-α (Tnf-α)) were analyzed. Results: ALE and PLE exhibited minimal cytotoxicity and strong anti-inflammatory activity, reducing the expression of all analyzed genes. PSE demonstrated anti-inflammatory activity in the Griess assay, but did not alter mRNA expression. Conclusions: ALE and PLE exhibit promising anti-inflammatory properties and warrant further preclinical investigation. Comprehensive in vitro and in vivo studies are necessary to confirm these results.