Evaluation of the Anti-inflammatory and Cytotoxic Activity of Methanol Extracts of Psacalium decompositum and Scopulophyla parryi in VERO and Detroit Cell Lines

Periodontal diseases are characterized by inflammation and destruction of tooth-supporting tissues. There is interest in anti-inflammatory substances of plant origin because of their advantage in relation to classic anti-inflammatory drugs. The cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory effect of extracts of Scopulophila parryi and Psacalium decompositum (A.Gray) H.Rob. & Brettell were evaluated with the 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium (MTT) method and their pro-inflammatory cytokine profile was determined in a human peripheral blood monocyte culture model. The plant was collected and identified and the methanol extract was prepared by maceration. Cytotoxicity was evaluated in vitro with the MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium) assay in two cell lines, VERO and Detroit 551 human fibroblasts. The anti-inflammatory activity of human peripheral blood monocytes and gene expression of the proinflammatory cytokines, IL-1, IL-6 and IL-8, were evaluated The extract of P. decompositum was less toxic on the VERO and Detroit 551 cell lines with a DL50 of 77.30 μg/mL and the S. parryi extract had 150.58 μg/mL. Both extracts significantly reduced expression of IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8 at 300 μg/mL for S. parryi and at 400 μg/mL for P. decompositum. The extract of P. decompositum was less toxic for both cell lines and the two methanol extracts are good alternatives as immunomodulators of proinflammatory cytokines.