Anti-inflammatory Effects of Southern Thai Red Curry Paste Extracts on an Inflamed Intestinal Cell Model
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Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory activities of Southern Thai red curry paste extracts in both lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated macrophages and an in vitro inflamed intestinal epithelium model. The red curry paste, in both fresh and dried forms, was extracted using ethanol (EtOH). The anti-inflammatory effects were evaluated in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 murine macrophages and a co-culture model of human intestinal Caco-2 cells and RAW 264.7 cells. Among all extracts, the dried red curry ethanol extract (DR-EtOH) demonstrated the highest potency in inhibiting nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW 264.7 cells, with an IC₅₀ value of 220 ± 60 mg/mL, and significantly suppressed tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels. Western blot analysis revealed that the both fresh (FR-EtOH) and dried (DR-EtOH) forms significantly inhibited the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) protein. In the inflamed intestinal cell model, FR-EtOH at 125 mg/mL effectively attenuated macrophage-induced intestinal epithelial dysfunction, as indicated by maintaining transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) values and reducing in interleukin-8 (IL-8) levels. These findings provide scientific evidence for the anti-inflammatory properties of Southern Thai red curry paste in both fresh and dried forms. This knowledge supports its potential development as functional foods or nutraceuticals for the prevention or mitigation of inflammatory gastrointestinal diseases.
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