Evaluation of In vitro antioxidant and anti-inflammatory prowess of Alchornea Cordifolia aqueous leaf extract

The plant Alchornea cordifolia (Schumach. & Thonn.) Muell. Arg. (Euphorbiaceae), commonly known as A. cordifolia, is widely distributed across tropical Africa and is extensively utilized in traditional medicine. This study aimed to explore the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of the aqueous extract of A. cordifolia leaves. Fresh leaves of A. cordifolia were air-dried, ground into powder, and subjected to aqueous extraction via cold maceration, followed by filtration and evaporation. The resulting aqueous extract exhibited a yield of 17.4% (64.4g), highlighting the effectiveness of water as a solvent for extracting bioactive constituents. Remarkably, the extract demonstrated significant (p<0.05) and concentration-dependent free radical scavenging activities, encompassing total antioxidant capacity (TAC), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), nitric oxide (NO) scavenging, and 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging. These findings underscore the presence of potent antioxidants, as evidenced by the reduction of ferric iron (Fe3+) to ferrous iron (Fe2+). Additionally, the extract exhibited notable inhibitory effects on albumin denaturation, membrane stabilization, and anti-proteinase activities, aligning with its traditional use in African medicine for managing various health conditions. Qualitative and quantitative analyses unveiled the presence of alkaloids, saponins, tannins, and flavonoids, contributing to the observed effects. Furthermore, GC-MS analysis identified diverse bioactive compounds such as alkanones, esters, fatty acids, alkanals, phenols, and aromatic compounds. These results corroborate previous studies, affirming the medicinal potential of A. cordifolia in alleviating oxidative stress and inflammation.