Anti-inflammatory Potency of Pulutan (Urena lobata) Leaf extract and its Fractions by Protein Denaturation Inhibition Assay

Abstract

Pulutan (Urena lobata) is a herb which is traditionally used to treat certain diseases and early studies have shown its effectiveness. However, anti-inflammatory activity of herb has not been explored well. The study aim to determine the anti-inflammatory potency of Urena lobata leaf extract and its fraction by the inhibition of protein denaturation. Methanol solvent is used to extract U. lobata leaf by digeration methods therefore concentrated extract was fractionated using n-hexane (Fraction A), ethyl acetate (Fraction B), n-butanol (Fraction C) and aqueous solvent (Fraction D) respectively. The anti-inflammatory potency of medicinal plants was studied by inhibition of protein denaturation and measured using a spectrophotometer at 660 nm wavelength. Half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50) were evaluated for at least five different dose (n = 3) and Ibuprofen as a reference drug. Fraction C is greater to suppress protein denaturation (IC50 = 208,75μg/mL) than fraction A (IC50 = 430,20μg/mL), fraction B (IC50 = 491,69μg/mL) and methanolic extract (IC50 = 338,80μg/mL). However, the inhibitory activity of the fraction and extract on protein denaturation was lower than ibuprofen (IC50 = 79,08 μg/mL). Both of extract and fraction U. lobata leaf have potency to inhibit inflammation but the activity more weak than Ibuprofen as the reference drug.