Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of extracts from red beet (Beta vulagaris) root

Abstract

This study was designed to examine the in vitro antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of red beet (Beta vulagaris) root. Red beet root was extracted using 70% ethanol and then fractionated sequentially with n-hexane, ethyl acetate and butanol. Antioxidative ability was evaluated by bioassays using total polyphenol contents and ABTS (2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid diammonium salt) radical scavenging activity. Ethyl acetate fraction of red beet root was best on total polyphenol contents (37.02±0.37 mg GAE/g) and ABTS radical scavenging effects (IC50 42.9±9.5 μg/mL). For the anti-inflammatory activity in RAW264.7 cells, the hexane fraction showed the highest inflammatory effect. Dose response studies were performed to determine the inhibitory effect of hexane fraction of red beet root on pro-inflammatory mediators in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. The hexane fraction of red beet root inhibited the NO and PGE2 production and the protein level of iNOS and COX-2, and protein expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β), in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that red beet root has considerable potential as a functional food ingredient with antioxidative and anti- inflammatory effects.