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. 2017 Jan-Feb;7(1):80-92.

In vitro and in vivo antioxidant potentials of Alchornea floribunda leaf extract, fractions and isolated bioactive compounds

Daniel Lotanna Ajaghaku  1 , Okechukwu Obasi  2 , Blessing Ogechukwu Umeokoli  2 , Peter Ogbuatu  2 , Chukwuemeka Sylvester Nworu  3 , Emmanuel Emeka Ilodigwe  1 , Festus Basden Chiedu Okoye  2
Affiliations

In vitro and in vivo antioxidant potentials of Alchornea floribunda leaf extract, fractions and isolated bioactive compounds

Daniel Lotanna Ajaghaku et al. Avicenna J Phytomed. 2017 Jan-Feb.

Abstract

Objective: Alchornea floribunda leaves are widely used in ethnomedicine for the management of immuno-inflammatory disorders. We investigated the in vivo and in vitro antioxidant activity of the leaf extract, fractions and isolated compounds of A. floribunda.

Materials and methods: The ethyl acetate fraction of the methanol leaf extract was subjected to several chromatographic separations to isolate compounds 1-4. The structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated by a combination of 1D and 2D NMR and mass spectrometry. Oxidative stress was induced with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). Further analysis on the isolated phenolic compounds were done using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity tests.

Results: The ethyl acetate fraction at 200 mg/kg produced significant (p<0.05) elevations of catalase enzyme activity and a significant (p<0.05) reduction in serum malondialdehyde. The chemical investigation of the ethyl acetate fraction led to the isolation of three flavans, (-) cathechin (1), (-) epicathechin (2), (+) epicathechin (3) and a flavanone, 2R, 3R dihydroquercitin (4). In hydrogen peroxide scavenging assay, (-) epicathechin exhibited an EC50 value of 8 μg/ml, similar to the standard ascorbic acid (EC50 = 8 μg/ml). (-) epicathechin showed scavenging of DPPH radical with EC50 value of 19 μg/ml while in the FRAP assay, it had EC50 value of 46 μg/ml which was lower than that of the standard, ascobic acid (EC50 = 66 μg/ml).

Conclusion: The medicinal uses of A. floribunda may be due to the antioxidant activities of its phenolic compounds.

Keywords: Alchornea floribunda; Antioxidant activity; Flavanone; Flavans.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Effect of extract and fractions on serum catalase enzymes. * p< 0.05 compared with CCl4 induced control.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Effect of extract and fractions on serum superoxide dismutase enzyme. * p< 0.05 compared with CCl4 induced control.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Effect of extract and fractions on serum malondialdehyde. * p< 0.05 compared with CCl4 induced control.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Chemical structures of the isolated compounds.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity of test compounds
Figure 6
Figure 6
DPPH scavenging activity of test compounds
Figure 7
Figure 7
Ferric reducing antioxidant power test of compounds
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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