Chemical structure and anti-inflammatory mechanisms of phenolic compounds from medicinal plants
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63341/bmbr/3.2025.08Keywords:
Salvia officinalis, curcumin, Hypericum perforatum, ortho-dihydroxyl groups, pharmacokinetic profileAbstract
The study was aimed at investigating the relationship between the chemical structure of phenolic compounds from medicinal plants Curcuma longa, Hypericum perforatum and Salvia officinalis and their anti-inflammatory activity. The research was conducted at the Educational and Scientific Institute of Applied Pharmacy, National University of Pharmacy (Kharkiv, Ukraine), between September and December 2024. Using high-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry, 12 bioactive compounds were identified, including curcumin, rutin and rosmarinic acid. Experiments on macrophage cells demonstrated that curcumin reduced tumour necrosis factor-alpha levels by 72 ± 3% and interleukin-6 by 65 ± 2% (at a concentration of 50 μM) through inhibition of the transcription factor kappa-B (55 ± 4%) and p38 kinase (60 ± 5%). Rutin, despite its stability in blood plasma (half-life 4.2 hours), showed a lower permeability coefficient across cell membranes (2.1×10-6 cm/s). Salvia officinalis extract increased the level of the anti-inflammatory interleukin-10 by 20 ± 3%, while the correlation between the number of hydroxyl groups in the molecules and interleukin-6 inhibition was 0.89. Curcumin exhibited cytotoxicity at concentrations above 100 μM, reducing cell viability by 40%. The results confirmed that the anti-inflammatory effect depends on the presence of ortho-dihydroxyl groups and glycosylation, with the highest potential observed in curcumin. These findings highlighted the importance of structural analysis and comprehensive methods for developing plant-based preparations with targeted activity. The results may be applied by pharmaceutical companies and research laboratories in the creation of new anti-inflammatory agents of natural origin
Received: 10.04.2025 | Revised: 04.08.2025 | Accepted: 02.09.2025
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