Antioxidant, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic effects of polyphenols from Passiflora subpeltata leaves – A promising species of Passiflora

Abstract

In Indian traditional medicine, the leaves of Passiflora subpeltata Ortega are used in herbal formulations to treat various pain and inflammation related health disorders. The leaves are also widely consumed as leafy vegetable. The present study analyzed the phytochemicals and investigated the antioxidant, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic properties in the leaves of P. subpeltata. The antioxidant activities were analyzed using DPPH, ABTS+, metal chelating and superoxide radical scavenging assays. Two doses of 200 and 400mg/kg of acetone extracts were administrated orally to assess analgesic (acetic acid induce writhing and formalin induced paw licking tests), anti-inflammatory (carrageenan-induced paw edema test) and antipyretic (yeast-induced pyrexia method) activities. The acetone extract of P. subpeltata leaves registered higher total phenolic (417.65mg GAE/g extract) and tannin (182.91mg GAE/g extract) contents and exhibited highest DPPH (IC50 of 27.9μg/ml) and ABTS+ (10108.91μM trolox equivalent/g extract) scavenging activities. The results also demonstrated an effective analgesic (82.73%), anti-inflammatory (81.54%) antipyretic (35.48±0.24°C) effects at a higher dose of 400mg/kg. HPLC analysis revealed the presence of bioactive compounds such as quercetin (22.36mg/g extract) and apigenin (21.26mg/g extract) in higher amounts and traces of gallic acid and catechin. The results suggest that the acetone extract of P. subpeltata leaves acquire substantial antioxidant, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic properties. Hence it has immense scope as a source of a new drug in various pharmaceutical industries and pharmaceutical applications.