title: Assessment of phytochemicals, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory potential of Boerhavia procumbens Banks ex Roxb.
abstract: Boerhavia procumbens is traditionally used in the treatment of various disorders including jaundice and gonorrhea, is a refrigerant, and exhibits anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic activities. The purpose of this study was to determine the phytochemical classes, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of methanol extract (BPME) and different fractions (n-hexane (BPHE), ethyl acetate (BPEE), n-butanol (BPBE), and residual aqueous fraction (BPAE)) of B. procumbens against carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats. To assess the anti-inflammatory effects of B. procumbens, 42 Sprague Dawley male rats (150-200 g) were randomly divided into seven groups. Group I received distilled water and group II was treated with diclofenac potassium (10 mg/kg) body weight (bw) orally. Groups III, IV, V, VI, and VII were administered BPME, BPHE, BPEE, BPBE, and BPAE (200 mg/kg bw) orally, 1 h before the treatment with carrageenan (10 mg/kg bw) in rats. Anti-inflammatory effects of B. procumbens were determined by estimating the inhibition of edema at 1st, 2nd, and 3rd hour after carrageenan injection. Qualitative analysis of methanol extract indicated the composition of diverse classes, namely, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, phlobatannins, cardiac glycosides, alkaloids, terpenoids, and anthraquinones. Quantitative determination illustrated that BPBE and BPEE possessed the highest concentration of total phenolic (60.45 ± 2.1 mg gallic acid equivalent per gram sample) and total flavonoid content (68.05 ± 2.3 mg rutin equivalent per gram sample), respectively. A dose-dependent response for antioxidant activity was exhibited by all the samples. The sample with the highest aptitude for antioxidant activity was the BPBE for 2,2-azobis,3-ethylbenzothiozoline-6-sulfonic acid radical scavenging and total antioxidant capacity. Carrageenan-induced paw edema was significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited by BPBE and BPME at the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd hour and was comparable to control drug diclofenac potassium. Results revealed that various fractions of B. procumbens manifested the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential and accredit the local use of B. procumbens in various disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Jasia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bokhari
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan mrkhanqau@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Muhammad Rashid
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Ihsan Ul
authors.initials: IU
authors.lastname: Haq
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004487:Edema / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D020834:Ethnopharmacology; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D039281:Nyctaginaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D010154:Pakistan; D010636:Phenols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011897:Random Allocation; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D000975:Antioxidants; D005419:Flavonoids; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D010636:Phenols; D010936:Plant Extracts; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D012997:Solvents
keywords: 
  Boerhavia procumbens
  ; anti-inflammatory; carrageenan; edema; flavonoids