Anti-inflammatory Potential of Euphorbia helioscopia Extracts against RAW264.7 Macrophages

Background: Euphorbia helioscopia, commonly known as sun spurge, is one of the largest species of an annual herb in the family Euphorbiaceae, which is extensively distributed worldwide. In folk medicine, it is used to treat various ailments such as malaria, osteomyelitis, and gastrointestinal ailments. The anti-inflammatory potential of Euphorbia helioscopia extracts on LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages was investigated in this work. Results: The ethanol extract was found to markedly inhibit the pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and TNFα) production compared to the aqueous extract treated cells. Moreover, extracts downregulated the nitric oxide levels. Finally, in this study, we have shown that Euphorbia helioscopia exerts a potent pharmacological effect on reducing the inflammatory response in macrophages. Conclusion: The results of the experiment revealed that the Euphorbia helioscopia extracts used in this study have anti-inflammatory characteristics, with the ethanolic extract having the most. The ethanolic extract had the strongest anti-inflammatory impact in terms of greatest reduction of proinflammatory indicators including IL-6, TNF-, and NO.