Abstract
This study set out to investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of Vangueria infausta, an edible wild fruit from Zimbabwe. The importance lies in the fact that this plant species could be developed as a low cost and effective therapeutic agent, with little or no side effects from natural sources. The fruit pulp of V. infausta was subjected to cold ethanol extraction to get crude extract. Flavonoids were isolated by thin layer chromatography (TLC) and unsaponifiable matter by liquid-liquid extraction using petroleum ether. The three were assayed by egg albumin denaturation and Nitric Oxide radical scavenging assays. Unsaponifiable fraction, crude ethanol extract and flavonoid fraction exhibited potent anti-inflammatory activity with a high of 93.12±0.03% (at 400 mg/L), 79.91±0.042% (at 800 mg/L) and 54.40±0.061% (at 800 mg/L), respectively in the egg albumin denaturation assay, whereas, in the nitric oxide (NO) radical scavenging assay it was respectively 68.99±0.058% (800 mg/L), 82.85±0.047% (at 800 mg/L) and 33.46±0.036% (at 800 mg/L). V. infausta crude extract and unsaponifiable fraction were superior to indomethacin and quercetin standards at lower concentrations in the egg albumin inhibition assay. This study shows that V. infausta possess potent anti-inflammatory phytochemicals that could be developed into anti-inflammatory drugs. Key words: Vangueria infausta, unsaponifiable fraction, crude ethanol extract, flavonoids, anti-inflammatory activity, egg albumin assay, NO radical scavenging assay. 
Highlights
Inflammation is a pathophysiological response of living tissues to injury that leads to the local accumulation of plasmatic fluids and blood cells (Huang et al, 2011; Vazquez et al, 2011; Kandati et al, 2012)
The unsaponifiable fraction had the highest inhibition of heat induced protein denaturation that varied from 79.14±0.027% at 200 mg/L to 93.12±0.03% at 400 mg/L, crude ethanol extract, had least percent inhibition of 63.03±0.013% at 200 mg/L and highest inhibition of 79.91±0.042% at 800 mg/L, flavonoids fraction had least percent inhibition of 31.14±0.032% at 200 mg/L and highest inhibition of 54.40±0.061% at 800 mg/L, standard quercetin had the least percent inhibition of 30.41±0.036% at 200 mg/L and highest inhibition of 94.04±0.052% at 800 mg/L and that of the standard indomethacin drug was 76.70±0.073% at 200 mg/L
The present study showed the in vitro anti-inflammatory activity of V. infausta crude ethanol extract,as well as unsaponifiable and flavonoid fractions which were compared to quercetin and indomethacin standards
Summary
Inflammation is a pathophysiological response of living tissues to injury that leads to the local accumulation of plasmatic fluids and blood cells (Huang et al, 2011; Vazquez et al, 2011; Kandati et al, 2012) It involves a complex series of biochemical events closely related to pathogenesis of various ailments such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, migraine and acute gout (Huang et al, 2011; Vazquez et al, 2011; Kandati et al, 2012). These modern pharmaceuticals are out of reach of a large proportion of population in developing countries because they are expensive
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