Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Adipogenesis Effects of Alchemilla vulgaris L., Salvia officinalis L., and Vitis vinifera L. in THP-1-Derived Macrophages and 3T3-L1 Cell Line

The production of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines, as well as adipocyte differentiation and fat accumulation in the 3T3-L1 mouse embryo fibroblast cell line and the human monocytic cell line THP-1 were measured to determine the anti-inflammatory and antiadipogenic effects of ethanolic extracts of verjuice (unripe grape juice (Vitis vinifera L.)), Salvia officinalis L., and Alchemilla vulgaris L. On both cell lines, the three extracts had much greater cytostatic effects than cytotoxic effects. With an IC50 of 505 mu g/mL, S. officinalis had the highest cytostatic effect on THP-1-derived macrophages. After treatment with 125 mu g/mL, the three extracts dramatically reduced the LPS-induced NO generation in THP-1-derived macrophages from 80 mu M to control values after treatment with 125 mu g/mL. Furthermore, the extracts reduced the levels of TNF-alpha and IL-6 production in a dose-dependent manner with the highest effects reached at 250 mu g/mL. The production of TNF-alpha decreased at higher levels compared to IL-6 production. V. vinifera, S. officinalis, and A. vulgaris extracts improved the production levels of IL-10 from 32 pg/mL to 86 pg/mL, 98 pg/mL, and 80 pg/mL at an extract concentration of 125 mu g/mL, respectively. The adipocyte differentiation and fat accumulation in 3T3-L1 were decreased to 20% of control values after treatment with plant extracts. Taken together, these results suggest that V. vinifera, S. officinalis, and A. vulgaris likely exert their anti-obesity effects through cytostatic actions and modulation of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokine production, as well as by reducing adipocyte differentiation and fat accumulation.