IN-VITRO ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTI-INFLAMMATORY ACTIVITY OF POLYALTHIA LONGIFOLIA (SONN.) THWAITE SEEDS

The present study is designed to evaluate the in vitro antioxidant and in-vivo anti-inflammatory activities of Polyalthia longifolia (Sonn.) Thwaite seeds. Initially, the extracts (Nonpolar to polar) were screened for in-vitro antioxidant activity by DPPH, nitric oxide radical, hydroxyl radical, and superoxide radical considering ascorbic acid as standard. Among the extracts the ethyl acetate and methanolic extracts showed greater antioxidant activity further, the antioxidant activity of the extracts is supported by evaluating the total phenol content (114 +/- 1.7, 146.5 +/- 2.4 mg/g gallic acid equivalents respectively) and flavonoid content (2.86 +/- 0.10, 6.2 +/- 0.12 mg/g rutin equivalents respectively). Based on the initial study, the ethyl acetate and methanol extracts were evaluated for acute anti-inflammatory activity against the egg albumin (1%) induced inflammation. The selected extracts (200, 400 mg/kg) were administered 1 hour prior to the induction of inflammation. The anti-inflammatory activity is measured as a decrease in paw edema, measured at regular intervals (0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 h) of time, taking diclofenac (5 mg/kg) as a standard drug. Both the extracts showed significant dose-dependent anti-inflammatory activity when compared with the control. The 400 mg/kg dose of methanol extract showed greater percentage of inhibition (58.46%) when compared with the diclofenac (56.92%). The anti-inflammatory activity of the extracts is attributed due to the presence of active constituents like phenols, flavonoids, terpenes, steroids, etc. Hence Polyalthia longifolia seeds can be used in developing the lead molecules for the treatment of various chronic diseases like cancer, which are associated with the generation of ROS and inflammation.