Anti-inflammatory Activity of Stevia rebaudiana in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 Cells

Stevia rebaudiana (SR) is an herb used traditionally as a sweetener in Paraguay and Brazil, whose use is spreading to other countries, such as Japan, Korea and China. In addition to its low calorie sweet taste, SR appears to have other beneficial properties, such as hypotensive capabilities and inflammation reduction. To identify the bioactive natural constituents exerting anti-inflammatory activities, we examined the EtOAc fraction of SR. In the inflammatory mediator inhibitory assay from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated macrophages, the EtOAc fraction significantly, and dose dependently, inhibited the enhanced production of nitric oxide (NO) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression. We also found that treatment of cells with the EtOAc fraction significantly inhibited LPS-stimulated nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) reporter gene expression. Such inhibition of NF-κB was closely associated with the inhibition of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and the monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1). Therefore, we suggest that SR has the potential for development as a functional food for the treatment of immune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.