INVESTIGATION OF EXTRACTION CONDITIONS AND in vitro ANTI-INFLAMMATORY ACTIVITY OF ETHANOLIC EXTRACT OF Phyllanthus amarus Schum. et Thonn. ON A CELL MODEL

Abstract

Phyllanthus amarus is a medicinal herb with promising anti-inflammatory potential due to its rich content of polyphenols and other bioactive secondary metabolites; however, the recovery of these constituents is strongly influenced by extraction conditions. This study was conducted to determine the appropriate conditions for extracting polyphenolic compounds from P. amarus using ethanol and to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of the resulting extract. The extract was obtained by heat-assisted maceration in ethanol under different extraction conditions and the optimal parameters were determined based on total polyphenol content. The anti-inflammatory activity of the extract was further assessed through its inhibitory effects on nitric oxide (NO) and TNF-α production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. The results showed that the optimal extraction conditions were 70% ethanol, a material-to-solvent ratio of 1: 8, at 70°C for 4 h, yielding the highest total polyphenol content (212.18 mg GAE/g extract). The extract significantly inhibited NO and TNF-α production in a concentration-dependent manner. These findings demonstrate the potential of P. amarus extract as a natural anti-inflammatory source and provide a basis for the development of herbal products supporting inflammation management.