Evaluation of Phytochemical Composition, Antioxidant Activity, and Analgesic Effects of <i>Polyalthia Longifolia</i> Leaves (Masquaerade)

Polyalthia longifolia is a plant with a rich medicinal history, its name derived from the Greek words "poly," meaning many, and "althea," meaning cure. This study aimed to evaluate the phytochemical composition, antioxidant potential, and analgesic activity of the methanolic extract of Polyalthia longifolia leaves. Phytochemical analysis was conducted using standard qualitative methods, while the antioxidant activity was assessed using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, and analgesic activity was determined through the acetic acid-induced writhing test. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, carbohydrates, cardiac glycosides, steroids, and triterpenes, whereas anthraquinones not detected. The extract exhibited significant antioxidant activity, with an IC50 value of 7.122 µg/mL, which was slightly less potent than that of Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT) with an IC50 value of 4.942 µg/mL. The methanol extract demonstrated high free radical scavenging activity (99.30% at 1000 µg/mL) compared to BHT (90.1% at 1000 µg/mL). The analgesic evaluation showed dose-dependent effects, with the 300 mg/kg dose achieving the highest pain inhibition (100%), followed by 150 mg/kg (98.1% inhibition) and 75 mg/kg (74.03% inhibition). The analgesic effect increased proportionally with dosage. These findings suggest that Polyalthia longifolia leaves contain bioactive compounds with notable antioxidant and significant analgesic activities, highlighting their potential for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications.