In Vivo and In Vitro Assessment of Marrubium vulgare: Chemical, Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Profiles

Medicinal plants offer a promising approach in treating inflammatory diseases, supported by traditional and scientific knowledge. This study evaluates Marrubium vulgare's anti-inflammatory potential in vivo and in vitro, along with its antioxidant, phytochemical composition and toxicity aspects. The phytochemical composition of the ethanolic extract was analyzed using colorimetric and quantitative assays. The in vivo anti-inflammatory potential was evaluated using carrageenan-induced paw edema in mice and in vitro through HSA and BSA denaturation assays. To evaluate the antioxidant effects, various assays were employed, including, DPPH<middle dot>, ABTS(<middle dot>+), NO<middle dot>, OH<middle dot> radical scavenging assays, FRAP, and TAC assays. The toxicity of the extract was assessed using two concentrations (300 and 1000 mg/kg) in mice, with organs examined both macroscopically and histopathologically. Additionally, a hemocompatibility assay was performed on red blood cells. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of a variety of secondary metabolites in the ethanolic extract of Marrubium vulgare. It demonstrated highly significant anti-inflammatory potential both in vitro and in vivo, with an inhibition of paw edema reaching 91.84 +/- 3.37%. Additionally, the extract demonstrated a notable antioxidant effect. The most effective IC50 value was observed for TAC, reaching 0.259 +/- 0.034 mg/mL, while the highest value was observed for nitric oxide radical inhibition as 2.541 +/- 0.463 mg/mL. Interestingly, both tested concentrations exhibited no toxic effect on mice and on red blood cells. Our study highlighted the potential anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effect of Marrubium vulgare due to the presence of phenolic and flavonoid compounds, suggesting further studies to develop new anti-inflammatory drugs.