Euphrasia planta tota extract revealed potent anti-inflammatory properties

Euphrasia officinalis is used as traditional herbal medicine in the treatment of irritated eyes for indications like allergic or non-infectious conjunctivitis and catarrhal inflammation accompanied by symptoms such as redness, swelling, pain and increased lacrimation.

Detailed investigations of pharmaceutical mode of actions for Euphrasia are scarce. Here we present a variety of pathways, effectively targeted by the treatment of Euphrasia planta tota (EPT), demonstrating its anti-inflammatory properties in vitro.

Dry extracts from EPT were prepared according to V.3c HAB. Anti-oxidative effects were investigated by the ORAC radical scavenging assay. Activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) was analysed in a reporter assay with the human Jurkat T-cell line. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) were analysed by enzyme inhibition assays. Alpha1A adrenergic receptor activity was tested in a cell-based cAMP assay.

We investigated EPT, showing its preventive capability of tissue damage by reduction of oxidative radicals. EPT showed a concentration-dependent inhibition of NF-κB translocation (IC₅₀: 50.7 μg/mL), generally involved in regulation of immune response and inflammation. Furthermore, we demonstrated effective enzyme inhibition of the inflammatory mediators COX-2 (IC₅₀: 7.6 µg/mL) and 5-LO (IC₅₀: 27.9 µg/mL), which play a major role in pain and inflammation. We also revealed selective agonistic activity on the alpha1A adrenoceptor (EC₅₀: 102.8 µg/mL), which could support vasoconstriction by narrowing swollen blood vessels in the eyes to reduce eye redness.

Altogether, these mechanisms targeted by EPT are contributing to a general anti-inflammatory response and preventing oxidative damage, which ultimately promotes the healing process of the affected tissue in irritated eyes.

 

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Publication History

Article published online:
16 November 2023