Comparative evaluation of anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic activities in relation to lichen acid profiles in Xanthoparmelia verruculifera, X. delisei, and X. loxodes.

[ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE] The genus Xanthoparmelia comprises more than 800 species worldwide, and several members have been traditionally used for wound healing and the management of inflammatory and rheumatic conditions.

[AIM OF THE STUDY] To comparatively evaluate the anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic activities of three Xanthoparmelia species native to Türkiye and relate the observed bioactivities to their lichen acid profiles.

[MATERIALS AND METHODS] Methanolic extracts of Xanthoparmelia verruculifera, X. delisei, and X. loxodes were evaluated in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages by measuring nitric oxide (NO), TNF-α, and prostaglandin E (PGE). Cytotoxic effects were assessed in human breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231). Antioxidant capacity was evaluated using in vitro radical scavenging assays. Lichen acids were characterized by HPLC.

[RESULTS] Among the tested extracts, X. verruculifera showed the strongest inhibition of NO production and reduction of TNF-α and PGE levels in RAW 264.7 cells. In cytotoxicity studies, X. delisei exhibited higher activity against MCF-7 cells, whereas X. verruculifera was more effective against MDA-MB-231 cells. HPLC analysis revealed the presence of usnic acid, gyrophoric acid, psoromic acid, fumarprotocetraric acid, protocetraric acid, stictic acid, norstictic acid, and salazinic acid across the extracts.

[CONCLUSIONS] These findings provide experimental support for the ethnopharmacological relevance of Xanthoparmelia species and demonstrate species-dependent differences in bioactivity that are consistent with variations in lichen acid profiles.