title: Bioactivity screening of five Centaurea species and in vivo anti-inflammatory activity of C. athoa.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Centaurea L. (Asteraceae) species used as herbal remedies in Turkish traditional medicine have shown several biological properties.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Extracts obtained from the aerial parts of Centaurea aphrodisea Boiss., Centaurea athoa DC., Centaurea hyalolepis Boiss., Centaurea iberica Trev. and Centaurea polyclada DC. were evaluated for their antioxidant, cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory activities.
  
  
  METHODS
  Extracts of Centaurea species were tested for their antioxidant activity in the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS) screening assays and for in vitro anti-inflammatory activity by Nf-κB and iNOS inhibition assays. The extracts were tested for their in vitro cytotoxicities against a panel of human solid tumor cell lines (SK-MEL: malignant melanoma, KB: oral epidermal carcinoma, BT-549: breast ductal carcinoma and SK-OV-3: ovary carcinoma) as well as non-cancerous kidney fibroblast (Vero) and kidney epithelial cells (LLC-PK1) by Neutral Red assay. In vivo anti-inflammatory activity of C. athoa was evaluated by the carrageenan-induced paw edema test in rats.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Antioxidant activities were observed for methanol extracts of plants. C. polyclada had the strongest effect on BT-549, KB and SK-OV-3 cell lines (30, 33 and 47 µg/ml, respectively). Nf-κB inhibition of chloroform extract of C. athoa was determined equivalent to positive control parthenolide (IC50: 6 µg/ml). This extract also showed anti-inflammatory activity by the carrageenan-induced paw edema test in rats, in all hours at a dose of 50 mg/kg compared to the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  C. athoa is suggested to be a potential source of lead compounds for inflammatory diseases due to the significant in vitro and in vivo anti-inflammatory results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy .
authors.forename: Sura Baykan
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Erel
authors.forename: Serdar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Demir
authors.forename: Ayse
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nalbantsoy
authors.forename: Petek
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ballar
authors.forename: Shabana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: N Ulku Karabay
authors.initials: NU
authors.lastname: Yavasoglu
authors.forename: Canan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Karaalp
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D031179:Centaurea; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / Q000379:methods; D004487:Edema / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D035261:Plant Components, Aerial; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014709:Vero Cells
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Antioxidant; Centaurea aphrodisea; Centaurea athoa; Centaurea hyalolepis; Centaurea iberica; Centaurea polyclada; cytotoxicity