<i>In vitro</i> membrane stabilisation and free radical scavenging activities of <i>Entandrophragma utile</i> (dawe and sprague) sprague stem bark and <i>Uvaria afzelii</i> Scott-Elliot root

Ethnobotanical surveys indicated that Entandrophragma utile and Uvaria afzelii are used for the treatment of several inflammatory diseases. However, there is no scientific validation of the traditional claims of the anti-inflammatory properties of the plants. Thus, this study was carried out to assess the anti-inflammatory potentials of the extracts of E. utile and U. afzelii and validate the ethnomedicinal claim of the plants in the treatment of inflammatory diseases. Membrane stabilisation activity, free radical scavenging activity and phytochemical screening were carried out on the two plants. The inhibition of lysis by the crude extract and fractions of E. utile stem bark (EUSB) and U. afzelii root (UAR) ranged from 6.21–78.80 and 4.17–86.05%. At the lowest tested concentration (0.125 mg/mL), the best inhibition activities of 44.51±2.39 and 27.02±0.80% were by the ethyl acetate fractions of EUSB and UAR, respectively. Similarly, at 1.5625 μg/mL, the ethyl acetate fractions of EUSB and UAR proved active for free radical scavenging with activities of 48.47±0.51 and 87.24±0.21%, respectively. The results from the membrane stabilisation and free radical scavenging activities could support the ethnomedicinal claim on the use of Entandrophragma utile stem bark and Uvaria afzelii root in the treatment of inflammatory diseases in Southwestern Nigeria.