Assessment of the in vitro anti-inflammatory effects of Cardiospermum halicacabum extract

Background: Inflammation is the body’s natural response to harmful stimuli. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly used to alleviate inflammation, but they often come with significant side effects. Consequently, there is a growing need for new, effective anti-inflammatory agents with minimal adverse effects, preferably derived from plants. Aims and Objectives: This study aimed to prepare aqueous and ethanol extracts of the entire Cardiospermum halicacabum plant using the cold maceration extraction method, evaluate their in vitro anti-inflammatory properties, and determine the IC50 values through a concentration-response curve. Methodology: Whole C. halicacabum plants were collected, and extracts were prepared using cold maceration with ethanol and water. The anti-inflammatory properties of these extracts were assessed in vitro using the heat-induced ovalbumin denaturation method, with diclofenac sodium serving as the reference drug. Results: The ethanol and aqueous extracts yielded 15.7% and 10.4% w/w, respectively. Compared to diclofenac sodium (IC50 at 1922 μg/mL), the extracts demonstrated mild-to-moderate, concentration-dependent anti-inflammatory activity, with IC50 values of 5157 μg/mL for the ethanol extract and 8121 μg/mL for the aqueous extract. A statistically significant positive correlation was observed between the concentration and percentage inhibition of the extracts, with a p-value of less than 0.05 and an R-square value close to one. Conclusion: The extracts of C. halicacabum exhibit mild-to-moderate anti-inflammatory activity compared to standard diclofenac sodium.