Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of ethanol and aqueous stem extract of Croton oblongifolius Roxb.

Abstract

Introduction: Croton oblongifolius Roxb. is a member of the Euphorbiaceae family that grows naturally or in cultivation in a variety of locations, including Vietnam. This plant is still used in traditional medicine to treat diarrhea, edema, and other inflammatory diseases.

Materials and methods: The stem is extracted by boiling it in a water bath with distinct solvents under reflux. The DPPH assay is performed to evaluate antioxidant activity. Moreover, an acute toxicity test is performed on 10 male Swiss albino strain mice, divided into two groups, and given different extracts of C. oblongifolious. The in vivo anti-inflammatory experiment is applied to the paws of mice utilizing the carrageenan induction method.

Results: The results demonstrate that the absolute ethanol extract exhibits significant in vitro antioxidant activity with an IC₅₀ of 189.25 µg/ml in the DPPH assay. The acute toxicity results show that the D_max of ACO and ECO extracts is 21 g/kg and 23.93 g/kg of mouse weight, respectively, with no abnormalities in any of the animals. Furthermore, the ethanol extract (0.24 g/kg) exhibits potent inhibition of inflammation compared to celecoxib (25 mg/kg).

Conclusions: The findings of this study establish the groundwork for future research into the mechanism of anti-inflammatory properties, as well as the identification of specific pharmacological routes.