As a nutritional supplement, wheatgrass (Triticum aestivum L.) is well-known for its anti-inflammatory effects that are exerted through signal transduction pathways. Wheatgrass was extracted in 80% ethanol (WGE), and the ethanol extracts were further fractionated using ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and water. To determine the antioxidant activity, WGE was tested using various radical-scavenging assays. To explain the anti-inflammatory mechanisms, western blotting, reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction, luciferase assay, immunofluorescence staining, and the inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphorylation were performed using mouse macrophage cells (RAW 264.7). Inhibition of proinflammatory and Th2 cytokines was analyzed using a 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene-induced contact dermatitis mouse model. WGE exhibited a strong antioxidant activity in radical scavenging-assays conducted using artificial and natural substrates. The ethyl acetate and n-butanol fractions (hydrophobic fractions) obtained from the 80% ethanolic extract, inhibited the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase gene, whereas the aqueous layer (the hydrophilic fraction) showed no inhibitory effects. In addition, the hydrophobic fractions inhibited nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and reduced phosphorylation of MAPK, indicating that inflammation was alleviated possibly by the regulation of NF-κB signaling. This mechanism was further elucidated using the RAW 264.7 cell line and mouse model. Using high-performance liquid chromatography, the hydrophobic fractions were separated into over 10 phenolic compounds, among which benzoic acid, quercetin, and luteolin were abundant. The study demonstrated that wheatgrass is a potential nutraceutical candidate with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties for future use in health foods and cosmetics.

作为营养补充剂，小麦草（Triticum aestivum L.）以其通过信号转导途径发挥抗炎作用而闻名。小麦草在80％乙醇（WGE）萃取，并用乙酸乙酯将乙醇提取物进一步分馏，Ñ-丁醇和水。为了确定抗氧化活性，使用各种自由基清除测定法测试了WGE。为了解释抗炎机制，使用小鼠巨噬细胞（RAW 264.7）进行了蛋白质印迹，逆转录聚合酶链反应，荧光素酶测定，免疫荧光染色和丝裂原激活的蛋白激酶（MAPK）磷酸化的抑制。使用2,4-二硝基氯苯诱导的接触性皮炎小鼠模型分析了促炎和Th2细胞因子的抑制作用。WGE在使用人工和天然底物进行的自由基清除测定中显示出强大的抗氧化活性。乙酸乙酯和正己烷从80％乙醇提取物中获得的β-丁醇级分（疏水级分）抑制了可诱导的一氧化氮合酶基因的表达，而水层（亲水级分）没有抑制作用。此外，疏水部分抑制了核因子-κB（NF-κB）并降低了MAPK的磷酸化，表明炎症可能通过调节NF-κB信号传导而减轻。使用RAW 264.7细胞系和小鼠模型进一步阐明了该机制。使用高效液相色谱法，将疏水级分分离成10多种酚类化合物，其中苯甲酸，槲皮素和木犀草素含量丰富。