In vitro investigation of the biological activities of an aqueous extract of Artemisia argyi

As a medicinal and edible plant, Artemisia argyi has attracted increasing attention because of its diverse biological activities. Present work prepared an A. argyi water extract (designated AAWE) and evaluated its potential biological activities in vitro. Results showed that AAWE scavenged DPPH, ABTS, superoxide anion, and hydroxyl radicals in vitro and concentration-dependently modulated antioxidant-related markers in RAW 264.7 cells. Meanwhile, AAWE exerted preliminary antibacterial activities against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus . Furthermore, AAWE induced macrophage activation-related responses in unstimulated RAW 264.7 cells, as evidenced by increasing the production of NO, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β. Additionally, post-treatment with AAWE attenuated LPS-associated changes in inflammatory and oxidative stress-related markers in RAW 264.7 macrophages. Present work provides preliminary in vitro evidence that AAWE exhibits radical-scavenging activity and modulates antioxidant-, macrophage activation-, and inflammation-related responses under the tested conditions. However, AAWE was not chemically characterized, and the active constituents responsible for these effects remain unknown. Further chemical characterization, mechanistic investigation, and in vivo validation are required to confirm these findings and evaluate the potential applications of AAWE.