title: Antioxidant, antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory properties of the aqueous and ethanolic leaf extracts of Andrographis paniculata in some laboratory animals.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The study was designed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antioxidant properties of Andrographis paniculata leaf extracts in laboratory animals.
  
  
  METHODS
  The dried and powdered leaves of the plant were subjected to phytochemical and proximate analyses. Its mineral content was also determined. Acute toxicity experiments were first performed to determine a safe dose level. The plant material was extracted using water and ethanol as solvents. These extracts were then used to test for the anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antioxidant properties of the plant. The anti-inflammatory tests included carrageenan-induced and histamine-induced paw oedema. The analgesic tests conducted were formalin paw lick test and acetic acid writhing test. The antioxidant activities of the extracts of A. paniculata were determined by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), total polyphenol (TP) and 2,2'-azinobis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) using ascorbic acid as standard for both DPPH and FRAP, and gallic acid as a standard for both TP and ABTS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The acute toxicity experiment demonstrated that the plant is safe at high doses even at 1600 mg/kg. It was observed that the ethanolic extract of A. paniculata had higher antioxidant activity than the aqueous extract. The experiments using both extracts may suggest that the extracts of A. paniculata leaves possess anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antioxidant properties, although the ethanolic extract seemed to have higher biological properties than the aqueous extract.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results from this study may have justified the plant's folkloric use for medicinal purpose.
authors.forename: Adeolu Alex
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Adedapo
authors.forename: Bisi Olajumoke
authors.initials: BO
authors.lastname: Adeoye
authors.forename: Margaret Oluwatoyin
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Sofidiya
authors.forename: Ademola Adetokunbo
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Oyagbemi
mesh_terms: D000700:Analgesics / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D035685:Andrographis; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D010936:Plant Extracts