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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Booneville, Arkansas » Dale Bumpers Small Farms Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #398546
Research Project: Sustainable Small Farm and Organic Grass and Forage Production Systems for Livestock and Agroforestry

Location: Dale Bumpers Small Farms Research Center

Title: Assessing anti-inflammatory activities and compounds in switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)

Author
item HO, KHANH-VAN - University Of Missouri
item EFRAT, NOVIANUS - University Of Missouri
item SCHREIBER, KATHY - University Of Missouri
item VO, PHUC - University Of Missouri
item DE CANHA, MARCO - University Of Pretoria
item BLOM VAN STADEN, ANALIKE - University Of Pretoria
item PAYNE, BIANCA - University Of Pretoria
item OOSTHUIZEN, CAREL - University Of Pretoria
item TWILLEY, DANIELLE - University Of Pretoria
item LEI, ZHENTIAN - University Of Missouri
item LLOYD, SUMNER - University Of Missouri
item BROWN, CHARLES - University Of Missouri
item LALL, NAMRITA - University Of Missouri
item LIN, CHUNG-HO - University Of Missouri

Submitted to: Agriculture
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/27/2022
Publication Date: 6/28/2022
Citation: Ho, K., Efrat, N., Schreiber, K.L., Vo, P.H., De Canha, M.N., Blom Van Staden, A., Payne, B.D., Oosthuizen, C.B., Twilley, D., Lei, Z., Lloyd, S.W., Brown, C.R., Lall, N., Lin, C. 2022. Assessing anti-inflammatory activities and compounds in switchgrass (Panicum virgatum). Agriculture. 12. Article 936. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12070936.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12070936

Interpretive Summary: Switchgrass is a bioenergy feedstock that potentially possesses multiple health benefits stemming from its phytochemical composition. We explored potential health-promoting properties of four switchgrass cultivars (Alamo, Kanlow, Liberty, and Show Me) using in vitro bioassays combined with metabolomics approaches. Our results demonstrated that the methanolic extracts of switchgrass possessed compounds that exerted inhibitory effects on the induced secretion of inflammatory mediators. Our findings suggested that switchgrass may represent a promising natural anti-inflammatory source for cosmetic, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical industries.

Technical 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.