Oleamide Mediates the Anti‐Inflammatory Potential of Smilax wightii A. DC. through Regulation of LOX and COX Gene Expression in Arachidonic Acid Pathway

Root of a monocotyledonous prickly woody climber plant in the Western Ghats, Smilax wightii was explored for bioactive compounds with anti‐inflammatory potential in the present article. Column chromatographic fractionation of the root extract was followed by bioactivity‐guided screening of active fractions using DPPH radical scavenging, ABTS, FRAP, and protein denaturation inhibition assays. HRLC‐MS/MS qTOF analysis authenticated Diosgenin, Smilagenin, and Oleamide as the major compounds in the bioactive fractions (F3 and F6). The compounds were subjected to experimental determination of their anti‐inflammatory potential using albumin denaturation inhibition, in vitro cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibition, and lipoxygenase (LOX) inhibition assays, wherein Oleamide exhibited higher inhibition of the inflammatory response than Diosgenin and Smilagenin. Oleamide recorded a protein denaturation inhibition of 53.81 ± 0.03%, COX inhibition of 76.68 ± 0.03%, and LOX inhibition of 63.79 ± 0.029% at 100 µg/mL concentration. To study the modulation of the expression of LOX and COX‐2 genes by Oleamide, a transcriptional regulation study was conducted on lipopolysaccharide (inflammagen) induced murine macrophage cell line RAW 264.7, where Oleamide at the concentrations from 6.25 to 100 µg synergistically downregulated the transcription of both genes into functional mRNA. The immunomodulatory potential of Oleamide on the arachidonic acid pathway could be explored for drug development to acute chronic inflammatory diseases.