Exploring the Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Potential, Metabolite Composition and Inorganic Profile of Cistus monspeliensis L. Aerial Parts and Roots

This work focuses on Cistus monspeliensis L. aerial parts (AP) and roots (R) extracts, investi-gating the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potential of the two organs in comparison. At dosagesbetween 1.56 and 6.25 μg/mL, both extracts showed a protective effect against LPS inflammatorystimulus on a macrophage cell line (RAW 264.7). Interestingly, only R was able to significantly reduceboth IL-1β and IL-6 mRNA gene expression in the presence of LPS. Moreover, the treatment of aneuroblastoma cell line (SH-SY5Y) with AP and R at 6.25 μg/mL increased the cell survival rateby nearly 20% after H2O2 insult. However, only R promoted mitochondria survival, exhibited asignificantly higher production of ATP and a higher activity of the enzyme catalase than the control.Both AP and R had similar primary metabolites; in particular, they both contained 1-O-methyl-epi-inositol. Labdane and methoxylated flavonoids were the most characteristic compounds of AP, whileR contained mainly catechins, gallic acid, and pyrogallol derivatives. Considering the importanceof elemental composition in plants, the inorganic profile of AP and R was also investigated andcompared. No potentially toxic elements, such as Pb, were detected in any sample.