Anti-Inflammatory Activity

The extract capacity to inhibit the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production by a murine macrophage cell line (RAW 264.7) was determined as nitrite concentration in the culture medium [32]. Dexamethasone was used as a positive control, and negative controls were performed without LPS. NO production was determined using a Griess Reagent System kit containing sulfanilamide, *N*-1-naphthylethylenediamine dihydrochloride (NED), and nitrite solutions. The results were expressed as EC50 values (μg/mL), i.e., extract concentration providing 50% of NO production inhibition.
