The effects of Arnica Montana extracts on Nrf2 signaling pathway in Microglial cells
Document Type
Event
Abstract
Arnica Montana (Arnica) is an herbaceous perennial plant that has been traditionally used in treating trauma, bruises, inflammation, or tissue injuries. However, the molecular mechanisms of Arnica’s medicinal property are largely unknown. The nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling pathway is a classical antioxidant signaling pathway. Previous studies have demonstrated that activation of Nrf2 can reduce inflammation. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of different Arnica extracts on the activation of the Nrf2 signaling pathway in BV-2 microglial cells. The extracts were made by mixing the Arnica powder with one of the following solvents: 100% ethanol, ethanol: water (7:3, v/v), hot water, methanol, and acetone. The extracts, except for the aqueous extract, were dried at room temperature. The dried extracts were dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) at a concentration of 100 mg/mL. BV-2 cells were seeded in a 96-well plate and cultured overnight in Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle Media (DMEM) supplemented with 5% fetal bovine serum (FBS) and 1% penicillin-streptomycin (P/S) to reach >90% confluence. Then cells were serum treated with various concentrations of Arnica extracts for 3 hours, followed by the luciferase assay to measure the activation of Nrf2. We found the dried matter yield rate of Arnica in 100% ethanol to be 66mg, 456mg for ethanolic aqueous because this sample was from 1 extraction and not 2, 139mg for methanolic, and 67mg for acetone. Arnica extracts (up to 200 µg/mL) showed no toxicity to BV-2 cells but exhibited different effects on the Nrf2 activation. The aqueous extract strongly promoted the activation of Nrf2 in a dose-dependent manner. The ethanolic aqueous extra inhibited the Nrf2 activation at 200 µg/mL but activated the Nrf2 signaling at lower doses (~70 and 25 µg/mL). In summary, this study demonstrates the activity of different Arnica extracts on the Nrf2 signaling pathway, and further studies are needed to reveal more evidence related to this mechanism.
The effects of Arnica Montana extracts on Nrf2 signaling pathway in Microglial cells
Breakout Session B: Biological Sciences
CLC BallroomArnica Montana (Arnica) is an herbaceous perennial plant that has been traditionally used in treating trauma, bruises, inflammation, or tissue injuries. However, the molecular mechanisms of Arnica’s medicinal property are largely unknown. The nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling pathway is a classical antioxidant signaling pathway. Previous studies have demonstrated that activation of Nrf2 can reduce inflammation. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of different Arnica extracts on the activation of the Nrf2 signaling pathway in BV-2 microglial cells. The extracts were made by mixing the Arnica powder with one of the following solvents: 100% ethanol, ethanol: water (7:3, v/v), hot water, methanol, and acetone. The extracts, except for the aqueous extract, were dried at room temperature. The dried extracts were dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) at a concentration of 100 mg/mL. BV-2 cells were seeded in a 96-well plate and cultured overnight in Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle Media (DMEM) supplemented with 5% fetal bovine serum (FBS) and 1% penicillin-streptomycin (P/S) to reach >90% confluence. Then cells were serum treated with various concentrations of Arnica extracts for 3 hours, followed by the luciferase assay to measure the activation of Nrf2. We found the dried matter yield rate of Arnica in 100% ethanol to be 66mg, 456mg for ethanolic aqueous because this sample was from 1 extraction and not 2, 139mg for methanolic, and 67mg for acetone. Arnica extracts (up to 200 µg/mL) showed no toxicity to BV-2 cells but exhibited different effects on the Nrf2 activation. The aqueous extract strongly promoted the activation of Nrf2 in a dose-dependent manner. The ethanolic aqueous extra inhibited the Nrf2 activation at 200 µg/mL but activated the Nrf2 signaling at lower doses (~70 and 25 µg/mL). In summary, this study demonstrates the activity of different Arnica extracts on the Nrf2 signaling pathway, and further studies are needed to reveal more evidence related to this mechanism.