Effect of Anthonotha macrophyla (P. Beauv) leaf extract on carrageenan‑induced paw oedema, oxidative stress makers and hyperalgesia in murine models

Abstract

Anthonotha macrophylla leaf (AML) is employed in the management of pain, infammation, and some diseases associated with oxidative stress in African traditional medicine. This study investigated the anti-infammatory and analgesic activities, the acute toxicity and anti-oxidant properties of AML, characterised the phytochemical constituents, and quantified its total phenolic and favonoid contents. Anti-infammatory and analgesic activities of AML extract were evaluated using carrageenan-induced oedema assay in rats’ paw and acetic acid-induced writhing assays respectively. Anti-oxidant efect of the extract was assessed in vivo by measuring liver antioxidant enzymes and in vitro by using DPPH radical scavenging assay and the acute toxicity of the extract was investigated in vivo in mice. The phytochemicals were characterised using basic phytochemical screening and total phenolics and favonoids were quantified using established methods. The AML extract exhibited signifcantly high anti-infammatory activity and moderate analgesic activity compared to diclofenac sodium. The extract exhibited moderate DPPH scavenging activity, signifcantly increased Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) and Glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activities, and did not have any effect on lipid peroxidation. AML was found to contain high phenolic and low favonoids. The LD50 of the extract was above 5000 mg/kg body weight. In conclusion, the AML extract possessed signifcant anti-infammatory and moderate analgesic activities, which may be mediated through its strong antioxidant prop erties due to its phenolic contents. The LD50 value showed that the extract was safe in the short-term utilization. The extract may therefore serve as a source of anti-infammatory, analgesic and antioxidant agents.