Elmann, A., Department of Food Quality and Safety, The Volcani Center, Agricultural Research Organization, Israel
Beit-Yannai, E., Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology Department, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel
Telerman, A., Department of Food Quality and Safety, The Volcani Center, Agricultural Research Organization, Israel
Ofir, R., Dead Sea and Arava Science Center, and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
Mordechay, S., Department of Food Quality and Safety, The Volcani Center, Agricultural Research Organization, Israel, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Quality Sciences of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
Erlank, H., Department of Food Quality and Safety, The Volcani Center, Agricultural Research Organization, Israel
Borochov-Neori, H., Southern Arava Research and Development, Hevel Eilot, Israel

Activated microglial cells release various mediators, which cause neuronal cell death and have been implicated in different neurological disorders. The present study demonstrates that an infusion prepared from the plant Pulicaria incisa (Pi) inhibits microglial activation and down-regulates levels of the inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and of the toxic mediators nitric oxide and glutamate. The infusion was also shown to have antioxidant properties in cell-free assays (e.g., differential pulse voltammetry) and in a cellular assay, in which the infusion attenuated the induced accumulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). We found that Pi infusion is rich in polyphenols, especially chlorogenic acids and ferulic acids, which might be responsible for the observed activities. It is proposed that Pi infusion be further evaluated for use as a functional beverage for the prevention and/or treatment of chronic diseases, especially neurodegenerative disorders in which microglial activation and oxidative stress play important roles. © 2016 Elsevier Ltd.