Does dietary luteolin reduce microglia activity in the brain of senescent mice?
Luteolin Capsules, an animal study (Rejuvenation Res 2016, PMID 26918466) — in saline-treated aged mice fed luteolin, these proportions were reduced by nearly half to 12% for MHC class II, 13% for IL-1β, and 12% for IL-6. The study did not investigate the effects of luteolin on LPS-treated aged mice for IL-1β and IL-6, as the reduction was not significant in this group.
Source: Rejuvenation Res 2016, PMID 26918466 ↗ · Research map · How Magellan grades evidence · evidence confidence: high
Rejuvenation Res · 2016 · PMID 26918466 · DOI 10.1089/rej.2015.1708
Dietary luteolin reduced age-related proinflammatory microglia activity in the brains of senescent mice.
The question
Does dietary luteolin reduce microglia activity in the brain of senescent mice?
What they tested
Feeding aged mice a diet with luteolin would reduce microglia activity.
How they did it
Adult (3-6 months) and aged (22-24 months) mice were fed either a control diet (AIN-93M) or a diet supplemented with luteolin (6 g/kg) for 4 weeks. They were then injected with either saline or lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Microglia were isolated and stained for MHC class II, IL-1β, and IL-6 for flow cytometry.
What they found
In saline-treated mice on a control diet, aging increased the proportion of microglia staining for MHC class II (from <3% in adults to 23% in aged), IL-1β (from <2% in adults to 25% in aged), and IL-6 (from <2% in adults to 25% in aged). In saline-treated aged mice fed luteolin, these proportions were reduced by nearly half to 12% for MHC class II, 13% for IL-1β, and 12% for IL-6. Luteolin also significantly reduced IL-1β and IL-6 staining in LPS-treated adult mice, but not in aged mice.
| Aged Control - MHC class II | 23 | |
|---|---|---|
| Aged Luteolin - MHC class II | 12 | |
| Aged Control - IL-1β | 25 | |
| Aged Luteolin - IL-1β | 13 | |
| Aged Control - IL-6 | 25 | |
| Aged Luteolin - IL-6 | 12 |
The chart shows the percentage of microglia staining for proinflammatory markers in aged mice fed a control diet versus those fed a luteolin-supplemented diet.
What it means
A diet supplemented with luteolin inhibited brain microglia activity during aging and also inhibited activation by LPS in adult mice. Luteolin may inhibit neuroinflammation and improve cognition in healthy aged individuals by constraining brain microglia.
Limitations
The study did not investigate the effects of luteolin on LPS-treated aged mice for IL-1β and IL-6, as the reduction was not significant in this group.
The paper at a glance
| Title | Dietary Luteolin Reduces Proinflammatory Microglia in the Brain of Senescent Mice |
|---|---|
| Journal | Rejuvenation Res |
| Year | 2016 |
| PMID | 26918466 ↗ |
| DOI | 10.1089/rej.2015.1708 ↗ |
| Topic | Brain, cognition & mood |
Read the source: PubMed record (authors, abstract, full citation) ↗ · Publisher via doi.org ↗
Where Magellan uses this paper
This citation sits behind the evidence grade on the pages below. Grades are set from the research and are independent of affiliate commissions.
Luteolin Capsules
Preclinical studies consistently show that luteolin reduces neuroinflammation and can ameliorate memory and learning deficits in rodent models of Alzheimer's disease, cerebral hypoperfusion and LPS-induced cognitive impairment, in part by inhibiting ER stress and cytokine release.
Luteolin is a naturally occurring flavone (a class of flavonoid) found in celery, parsley, green…
Research describes the compound or intervention studied. It is not a claim about any specific product.
Cite this page
These citations point at this summary. To cite the original paper with its full author list, use the PubMed record or doi.org.
Magellan Longevity. (2026). Does dietary luteolin reduce microglia activity in the brain of senescent mice? [Plain-English summary of Rejuvenation Res 2016, PMID 26918466, DOI 10.1089/rej.2015.1708]. Magellan Longevity. https://magellanlongevity.com/study/d26918466.html@misc{magellan_d26918466,
title = {Does dietary luteolin reduce microglia activity in the brain of senescent mice?},
author = {{Magellan Longevity}},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {\url{https://magellanlongevity.com/study/d26918466.html}},
note = {Plain-English summary of PubMed PMID 26918466; DOI 10.1089/rej.2015.1708; Rejuvenation Res 2016. Reviewed by Gabriel Radu, DO},
urldate = {2026-08-11}
}https://magellanlongevity.com/study/d26918466.htmlRelated studies in the Magellan library
- Neuroprotective effects of flavone luteolin in neuroinflammation and neurotraumaBiofactors · 2020 · PMID 33098588
- Can luteolin improve memory deficits and reduce neuroinflammation in a triple-transgenic mouse…Acta Pharmacol Sin · 2021 · PMID 34267346
- Regulation of structural and functional synapse density by L-threonate through intraneuronal…Neuropharmacology · 2016 · PMID 27178134
- Effects of a Lutein and Zeaxanthin Intervention on Cognitive FunctionNutrients · 2017 · PMID 29135938
- Effect of adjunctive L-methylfolate 15 mg among inadequate responders to SSRIs in depressed…J Clin Psychiatry · 2014 · PMID 24813065
- What are the various health benefits of carotenoids, and what is the current state of evidence…Arch Biochem Biophys · 2018 · PMID 29885291
Prefer the interactive version? Open this summary in the Magellan app → · Browse all 314 study summaries →