Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of ethanolic extract of aerial parts of Vernonia patula (Dryand.) Merr.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the inflammatory and antioxidant activities of ethanolic extract of aerial part of Vernonia patula (Dryand.) Merr (EAV).


METHODS
The anti-inflammatory activity of EAV was studied using carrageenan and histamine-induced rat paw edema test at different doses (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight). DPPH free radical scavenging, nitric oxide scavenging, reducing power and Fe(2+) ion chelating ability were used for determining antioxidant activities.


RESULTS
The EAV, at the dose of 400 mg/kg, showed a significant anti-inflammatory activity (P<0.01) both in the carrageenan and histamine-induced oedema test models in rats, showing 62.86% and 64.42% reduction in the paw volume comparable to that produced by the standard drug indomethacin (67.26% and 66.01%) at 5 h respectively. In DPPH free radical scavenging test, IC50 value for EAV was found fairly significant 36.59 μg/mL when compared to the IC50 value of the reference standards ascorbic acid 8.97 μg/mL. The IC50 values of the extract and ascorbic acid were 47.72 and 12.39 μg/mL, respectively in nitric oxide scavenging assay. The IC50 value of the EAV (33.59 μg/mL) as percentage of Fe(2+) ion chelating ability was also found significant compared to that of EDTA (9.16 μg/mL). The maximum absorbance for reducing power assay was found to be 1.928 at 100 μg/mL when compared to 2.449 for standard ascorbic acid. The total phenolic content was 198.81 mg/g of gallic acid equivalent. Acute toxicity test showed that the plant might be safe for pharmacological uses up to a dose level of 3 200 mg/kg of body weight in rats.


CONCLUSIONS
Therefore, the obtained results suggest the acute anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of the EAV and thus provide the scientific basis for the traditional uses of this plant part as a remedy for inflammations.
Pharmacy Discipline, Life Science School, Khulna University, Khulna-9208, Bangladesh. Electronic address: arponahira@gmail.com.
Arpona
A
Hira
Shubhra Kanti
SK
Dey
Md Sariful Islam
MS
Howlader
Arif
A
Ahmed
Hemayet
H
Hossain
Ismet Ara
IA
Jahan
D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004487:Edema / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D006632:Histamine / Q000009:adverse effects; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction / Q000187:drug effects; D010636:Phenols / Q000737:chemistry; D035261:Plant Components, Aerial / Q000737:chemistry; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D035741:Vernonia / Q000737:chemistry*
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents; D010636:Phenols; D010936:Plant Extracts; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D000431:Ethanol; D006632:Histamine
Acute toxicity; Anti-inflammatory; DPPH free-radical scavenging; Nitric oxide radical scavenging; Reducing power; Vernonia patula