Abstract:
Switchgrass is a bioenergy feedstock that potentially possesses multiple health benefits.
However, the biological properties and associated bioactive compounds of switchgrass have not
been adequately investigated. In the current study, we assessed the anti-inflammatory properties
of switchgrass. Results from in vitro bioassays indicated that the methanolic extracts of switchgrass
contained compounds exerting inhibitory effects on the expression of inflammatory mediators
(TNF- , IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10) induced in the U-937 model system. The extracts derived from
four switchgrass cultivars (Alamo, Kanlow, Liberty, and Show Me) inhibited the secretion of all
inflammatory mediators examined, with the only exception of the Liberty extract, which showed no
significant effect on IL-10 expression. The degree of cytokine inhibition was variable, depending on
the particular cultivar, the concentrations tested, and the cytokines examined. A global metabolomics
approach was utilized to putatively identify possible molecules with known anti-inflammatory
capacities in different switchgrass cultivars using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography
with high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS). The content of multiple bioactive antiinflammatory
compounds in switchgrass was determined by liquid chromatography–tandem mass
spectrometry (HPLC–MS/MS) analyses. Our results suggest that switchgrass, particularly the Alamo
and Kanlow cultivars, may represent a promising natural anti-inflammatory source for the cosmetic,
nutraceutical, and pharmaceutical industries.
Description:
SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL : TABLE S1: Putative identification of the secondary metabolites with known anti-inflammatory activities in switchgrass through untargeted metabolomics analyses.; TABLE S2: In vitro biological activities of the extracts derived from the four switchgrass cultivars. Antibacterial and antimycobacterial activities were evaluated against 2 bacterial strains Cutibacterium acnes and Mycobacterium smegmatis, respectively. Anticancer activity was investigated using human colorectal adenocarcinoma (HT-29) and human malignant melanoma (UCT-MEL-1) cell lines.