In-vitro antioxidant and in-vivo anti-inflammatory activities of aerial parts of Cassia species

Abstract

Cassia species are native to Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa and are commonly used as food and in a broad variety of medicinal applications. Cassia species are widely used in India, but there are few reports in the literature of studies on its chemical compositions and biological properties. In this study, the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of two plants of Cassia species namely Cassia siamea (Lam.) and Cassia javanica (Linn.) were evaluated and the total phenolic compounds and flavonoid contents were determined.The antioxidant activity of the extracts was measured using scavenging of 2,2′-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl hydrate (DPPH), bleaching of β-carotene and % inhibition of H2O2. The anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated using carrageenan induced paw edema method on Wistar albino rats. The etahnolic extracts of aerial parts of C. siamea and C. javanica were evaluated for in vivo anti-inflammatory activity against the animal model of female Wistar albino rats. Ethanol extracts showed significant and dose-dependent anti-inflammatory effects. The contents of flavonoids and total phenolic compounds could be correlated with the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities observed for C. siamea and C. javanica. Our findings suggest that aerial parts of C. siamea and C. javanica contain potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds, which could be tested as drug candidates against oxidative and inflammation-related pathological processes in medicinal chemistry studies.