In-vitro evaluation for antioxidant and anti-inflammatory property of flavanone derivatives

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the antioxidant and suppressive activity of flavanone derivatives on the production of nitric oxide (NO) from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced macrophage cells. Flavanone derivatives were prepared by adding one to three methoxy substituents (–OCH3) to flavanone or chloroflavanone structure. 5-Methoxyflavanones, including 5-methoxyflavanone, 5-methoxy-4′-chloroflavanone, and 5,4′-dimethoxyflavanone, had the best antioxidant activity, as compared to other flavanone derivatives. Anti-inflammatory effect of flavanone derivatives was studied by suppressive activity on NO synthesis from LPS-stimulated macrophages cells. 3′,4′-Dimethoxyflavanone, 5-methoxyflavanone, and 5-methoxy-4′-chloroflavanone showed the potent inhibitory activity on nitrite production. Addition of the methoxy group at 5′-position and 3′,4′-position of flavanone showed a high inhibitory activity of NO production from LPS-macrophage cells, which is one of the typical anti-inflammatory biomarkers. Taken together, the location of the methoxy group in a flavanone structure might have some connection with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.