Anti-inflammatory and Antioxidant Activities of Selected Fractions of Parinari kerstingii Leaf Extract

Abstract

medicinal plant and is thought to have several biological properties. This study aimed to evaluate the in vitro antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of selected GC-MS bioactive constituent fractions of Parinari kerstingii leaf extract. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and nitric oxide radical scavenging assays (NORSA) were used to measure the extract’s antioxidant activity. In contrast, the fractions’ membrane stabilization potential and platelet aggregation inhibition properties were used to measure the extract’s in vitro anti-inflammatory activity. GC-MS characterizations of the crude extract identified bioactive constituents responsible for these activities. The results of the GC-MS analysis revealed that bioactive compounds with known anti inflammatory and antioxidant properties, such as n-Hexadecanoic acid, phenol, 2,4-bis(1,1 dimethylethyl)-e.t.c. were found in the fractions. The extract significantly (p < 0.05) lowered radical-scavenging activities compared to the fractions at 100, 400, and 800 mg/ml concentrations. Avian (Chicken) erythrocyte membrane was significantly (p< 0.05) protected by various doses (100–800 μg/ml) of extracts against rupture initiated by heat and hypotonic solution (water). Also, platelet aggregation inhibition was exhibited when compared with fractions. In the entire test, the fractions provided no similar order in strengths, indicating the likely presence of various bioactive constituents for each evaluated biological activity. This preliminary in vitro investigation determined the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory characteristics of Parinari kerstingii leaf, which might be explored further in vivo for the potential use of the plant’s isolates as sources of naturally derived anti-inflammatory and antioxidant molecules.