Ethanolic extract of Pyrus pashia buch ham ex. D. Don (Kainth): A bioaccessible source of polyphenols with anti-inflammatory activity in vitro and in vivo.

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Pyrus pashia Buch ham ex. D. Don (Kainth) fruit from the Himalayan region is
traditionally consumed by native people in the form of decoctions for various clinical conditions including in�flammatory diseases. However, scientific studies on the biofunctional properties of Kainth fruits are still scarce.
Aim of the study: The study is aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of Kainth fruit extracts using in
vitro and in vivo inflammation models.
Material and methods: Free, esterified and bound fractions from the Kainth ethanolic extracts were prepared for
determining the anti-inflammatory effect. The levels of 5-LOX and COX-2 were determined in vitro. The protein
levels of cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α & IL-10) were quantitated by ELISA method in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated
RAW macrophages. Also, the anti-inflammatory potential of the Kainth fruit extracts was determined using
the carrageenan-induced mice paw edema model. The bioaccessibility of Kainth fruit extracts was measured
using a simulated in vitro digestion system (salivary, gastric and intestinal).
Results: The Kainth fruit extracts were partially purified to yield free, esterified and bound phenolics. Free and
bound phenolics of Kainth fruits inhibited 5-Lipoxygenase, Cyclooxygenase-2 activities and pro-inflammatory
cytokines (Interleukin-6 and tumour necrosis factor-α) expression in vitro. Also, oral administration of these
extracts to the carrageenan-injected mice showed an anti-inflammatory effect by decreasing the pro�inflammatory cytokines and reducing the cellular infiltration in paw tissues. Also, both the extracts showed
better bioavailability and bioaccessibility in in vitro and in vivo studies.
Conclusions: The results indicated that free and bound phenolics from Kainth fruits that are rich in catechin,
epicatechin, arbutin and chlorogenic acid exhibited anti-inflammatory effects and could potentially be used to
treat inflammatory diseases.