Maslinic acid (MA) inhibits LPS-induced NF-κB translocation to nucleus and phosphorylation of IκB-α. Maslinic acid has also been reported to suppress NF-κB regulated osteoclastogenesis in bone marrow monocytes and inhibit TNF-α-induced NF-κB activity and its downstream genes’ expression in pancreatic cancer cells. To confirm if the anti-inflammatory effects of olive pomace extracts (OPEs) inRAW264.7 cells can be attributed to Maslinic acid, dose-dependence experiments determined the effective concentration of Maslinic acid to be 10-20 μM. 20 μM Maslinic acid significantly suppresses TNF-α production and inhibits IL-1, IL-6, and COX-2 mRNA expression in RAW 264.7 cell. Maslinic acid (at 10 and 20 μM) significantly suppresses the DNA-binding activity of NF-κB p65 in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells. Pretreatment with Maslinic acid significantly reduces the LPS-induced phosphorylation of IκB-α.

Paw swelling is alleviated when mice are administered with 200 mg/kg Maslinic acid (MA), significantly suppressing inflammation, compared to the carrageenan induced control group, 4 h after λ-carrageenan injection (0.91±0.51 mm and 1.79±0.4 mm, respectively).