Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effect of Oxalis cernuaareal part and root methanolic extracts.

Abstract

The aim of this study is to evaluate the toxicity, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of Oxalis cernuaareal part and root methanolic extracts. In folk therapy, Oxalis cornea’s stems and leaves have high medicinal values, and also have the functions of anti-inflammationand removing toxicity, whereas, the roots are used particularly due to their diuretic properties.Polyphenols extractionwas followed by fractionationto give the crude extract of the aerialpart AME, chloroform extract CHE, ethyl acetate extract EAE and aqueous extractAqE, in addition to the crude extract of the rootsRME.Quantification of polyphenols and flavonoids revealed that AME contained the highest amounts. The evaluation of in vitroantioxidant activity was performed using several different methods: DPPH, ABTS, hydroxyl radicals; reducing power, ferrous ion chelating, and also β-carotene bleaching assays; and anti-haemolytic test. Furthermore, in vitroanti-inflammatory activity was assessed using BSA and egg albumin anti-denaturation assays. The findings of this study exhibited that EAE, AME, CHE, CHE, AqE; and CHE, AME noted the highest antioxidant activitiesrespectively. Additionally, in in vitroant-inflammatory both of AME and RME were the most potent anti-protein denaturation extracts. In acute toxicity, Oxalis cernuamethanolic extracts wereadministered in a single highest dose of (2000 and 5000 mg/kg bw) did not causeany behavioural, biochemical,and histological signs of toxicity throughout a period of 14 days. In subacute toxicity study doses (100, 200, 400 mg/kgbw) were administered per osduring 21 days successively. Antioxidant activity assessed with DPPH and reducing power tests did not improve plasma redox status. Biochemical and histological parametersshowedsome changes which remain inside physiological range.In hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity induced byCCl4, Oxalis cernuaantioxidant and biochemical parameters were significantly restored to near-normal levels. The histological examination endorsed the results of the biochemical study. In in vivoanti-inflammatory activity, oxalis cernua RMEat dose (200 mg/kg bw), administered per os, revealed a potent anti-inflammatory effect reducing ear oedema induced wby xylene. In carrageenan model,Oxalis cernuaAME at dose (200 mg/kg bw) displayed potential anti-inflammatory effect (80%). Besides, both extracts exhibiteda pro-inflammatory effect in egg albumin model.The results obtained endorsethe use of the plant in traditional medicine