University of Rhode Island
SPEAKER
SCIENCE
Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Non-Cannabinoid Phytochemicals from Industrial Hemp Roots for Nutraceutical and Cosmeceutical Applications
Industrial hemp roots are rich in various non-cannabinoid types of phytochemicals including phenolics, alkaloids, phytosterols, and triterpenoids. However, the biological activities of these compounds are not well studied, which hindered the development of hemp roots-based functional ingredients. Herein, we aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of a panel of non-cannabinoid phytochemicals isolated from a hemp roots extract. Representative chemotypes of compounds included cannflavins A and B (flavonoids), dadahol A (lignan), indole-3-carboxaldehyde (alkaloid), stigmast-4-en-3-one (phytosterol), and friedelin (triterpenoid). The anti-inflammatory effects of these were evaluated in a cell-based model using differentiated human monocytes (THP-1 cells) challenged with an inflammation inducer (i.e., lipopolysaccharide; LPS). These hemp roots phytochemicals (at 10 µM) reduced the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin 1β in THP-1 cells exposed to LPS by 11.5%-61.3%. Among the test samples, cannflavins A and B showed the most promising anti-inflammatory activity with an IC50 value of 6.7 and 8.2 µM, respectively. Furthermore, cannflavins A and B (at 10 µM) showed an inhibitory effect in the activation of NLRP3 Inflammasome in THP-1 cells exposed to LPS and nigericin by 33.6 and 29.1%, respectively. Moreover, the mechanisms of cannflavins’ anti-inflammatory effects were studied by network pharmacological analysis and molecular biology approaches, which suggest that cannflavins A and B may mediate molecular targets such as the caspases family. Findings from our study shed light on the biological activities of non-cannabinoid compounds from industrial hemp roots, which provided useful information for the further development of hemp root extracts as promising active nutraceutical and/or cosmeceutical ingredients.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand phytochemical constituents of hemp roots (e.g., cannabinoids, phenolics, alkaloids, phytosterols, and triterpenoids)
- Review anti-inflammatory effects of hemp root compounds including cannflavins
- Examine potential nutraceutical and cosmeceutical applications of hemp roots
BIO
Hang Ma, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the College of Pharmacy of the University of Rhode Island (URI). He is the Associate Director of the Bioactive Botanical Research Laboratory and the Head of the research unit for nutraceutical and cosmeceutical applications (RUNCA) at URI. Dr. Ma received his Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Pharmaceutical Sciences in 2011 and 2014 from URI, respectively. Dr. Ma has over 20 years of research experience in natural product chemistry. His research interests include the phytochemical and biological investigations of natural products from medicinal plants for their therapeutic and pharmaceutical applications. Dr. Ma has co-authored over 100 original peer-reviewed research articles, 3 review articles, and 1 international patent. He is a member of the Editorial Board of several cannabis journals including Cannabis and Cannabinoids Research and Journal of Cannabis Research.