Properties of a new food supplement containing actinia equina extract
Marine species represent a great source of biologically active substances; Actinia equina (AE),
an Anthozoa Cnidaria belonging to the Actinidiae family, have been proposed as original food and have
already been included in several cooking recipes in local Mediterranean shores, and endowed with
excellent nutraceutical potential. The aim of this study was to investigate some unexplored features
of AE, through analytical screening and an in-vitro and in-vivo model. An in-vitro study, made on
RAW 264.7 stimulated with H2O2, showed that the pre-treatment with AE exerted an antioxidant
action, reducing lipid peroxidation and up-regulating antioxidant enzymes. On the other hand,
the in-vivo study over murine model demonstrated that the administration of AE extracts is able
to reduce the carrageenan (CAR)-induced paw edema. Furthermore, the histological damage due
to the neutrophil infiltration is prevented, and this highlights precious anti-inflammatory features
of the interesting food-stu. Moreover, it was assessed that AE extract modulated nuclear factor
kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-kB) and The nuclear factor erythroid 2–related
factor 2 (Nrf-2) pathways. In conclusion, our data demonstrated that thanks to the antioxidant and
anti-inflammatory properties, AE extract could be used as a new food supplement for inflammatory
pathology prevention.