IN VITRO ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTI-INFLAMMATORY ACTIVITIES OF ALCHORNEA CORDIFOLIA (SCHUMACH AND THONN.) MULL. ARG. AND ANTROCARYON KLAINEANUM PIERRE EXTRACTS

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the in vitro antioxidant, anti-inflammatory activities of the aqueous and hydroethanolic extracts recipe of Alchornea cordifolia and Antrocaryon klaineanum. A preliminary phytochemical screening was carried out. Methods: The total phenols content was determined by the Folin Ciocalteu reagent method, while the antioxidant activity of both extracts was characterized by the 2-2diphenyl-1-picrilhidrazil (DPPH) and β-carotene assays. The anti-inflammatory activity of the extracts was evaluated as the inhibition of Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) denaturation and antiproteinase activity. Results: The aqueous extracts of Alchornea cordifolia and Antrocaryon klaineanum contained more polyphenols [270 mg Ascorbic acid equivalent (AAE)/g dry weight (dw)] than the hydroethanolic recipe extract (262.41 mg AAE/g dw) at the same concentration level. On the other hand, the aqueous and hydroethanolic recipe extract had the same radical scavenging activity with the antiradical power of 0.851 and 0.830, respectively. Similarly, the recipe extract had the same reducing activity with reducing the power of 94.2±2.03 mg EAA/g dw and 97.4±4.16 mg EAA/g dw for the aqueous and hydroethanolic recipe extract of Alchornea cordifolia and Antrocaryon klaineanum respectively. For the anti-inflammatory activity it was observed that both extracts possess the same activity as Diclofenac® with an IC50 of 50.21 μg/ml. The phytochemical screening of the extracts revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, carbohydrates, phenols and tannins, which may account for their activities. Conclusion: The plant recipe extract studied possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potentials, which may be beneficiary to its consumers