Protective Role of Phenolic Compounds from Whole Cardamom ( Elettaria cardamomum (L.) Maton) against LPS-Induced Inflammation in Colon and Macrophage Cells.

The chemical profiling of phenolic and terpenoid compounds in whole cardamom, skin, and seeds ( Elettaria cardamomum (L.) Maton) showed 11 phenolics and 16 terpenoids, many of which are reported for the first time. Herein, we report the anti-inflammatory properties of a methanolic extract of whole cardamom in colon and macrophage cells stimulated with an inflammatory bacteria lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The results show that cardamom extracts lowered the expression of pro-inflammatory genes NFkβ , TNFα , IL-6 , and COX2 in colon cells by reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) while not affecting LXRα . In macrophages, cardamom extracts lowered the expression of pro-inflammatory genes NFkβ , TNFα , IL-6 , and COX2 and decreased NO levels through a reduction in ROS and enhanced gene expression of nuclear receptors LXRα and PPARγ. The cardamom extracts in a range of 200-800 μg/mL did not show toxicity effects in colon or macrophage cells. The whole-cardamom methanolic extracts contained high levels of phenolics compounds (e.g., protocatechuic acid, caffeic acid, syringic acid, and 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid, among others) and are likely responsible for the anti-inflammatory and multifunctional effects observed in this study. The generated information suggests that cardamom may play a protective role against low-grade inflammation that can be the basis of future in vivo studies using mice models of inflammation and associated chronic diseases.