Differential Effects of Betacyanin and Betaxanthin Pigments on Oxidative Stress and Inflammatory Response in Murine Macrophages

Scope: Betalain pigments are increasingly highlighted for their bioactive and anti-inflammatory properties, although research is lacking to demonstrate contributions of individual betalains. The work herein aimed to compare effects of four main betalains on inflammatory and cell-protective markers and to highlight potential structure-related relationships of the two main subgroups: betacyanins vs betaxanthins.

Methods and results: Murine RAW 264.7 macrophages were stimulated with bacterial lipopolysaccharide following incubation with betacyanins (betanin, neobetanin) and betaxanthins (indicaxanthin, vulgaxanthin I) in concentrations from 1 to 100 µM. All betalains suppressed expression of pro-inflammatory markers IL-6, IL-1β, iNOS, and COX-2 with tendency for stronger effects of betacyanins compared to betaxanthins. In contrast, HO-1 and gGCS showed mixed and only moderate induction, while more emphasized effects were observed for betacyanins. While all betalains suppressed mRNA levels of NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX-2), a superoxide generating enzyme, only betacyanins were able to counteract hydrogen peroxide induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, in alignment with their radical scavenging potential. Furthermore, betaxanthins exerted pro-oxidant properties, elevating ROS production beyond hydrogen peroxide stimulation.

Conclusion: In summary, all betalains display anti-inflammatory properties, although only betacyanins demonstrate radical scavenging capacities, indicating potential differing responses under oxidative stress conditions, which requires further research.