Phytochemical, antioxidant, anthelmintic and analgesic potential of aqueous and methanolic extracts of Selaginella vogelii

Selaginella vogelii is a vascular plant widely distributed in tropical Africa. With a view to find its phytochemical composition and pharmacological evidence, the aqueous and methanolic extracts from leaves, stems and roots mixture was evaluated. Comparative phytochemicals analysis was carried out by HPLC-ESI-MS n . Twenty-two (22) and 24 compounds respectively from leaves, stems and roots extracts were identified. Flavonoids, saponins and phenolic acids, were the main classes of secondary metabolites. S. vogelii extracts demonstrated antiradical activity against DPPH, ABTS and NO as well as developing a ferric reducing power, thus revealing that methanolic extract have a higher antioxidant potential. S. vogelii showed ovicidal and larvicidal activities against eggs and infective larvae of Haemonchus contortus . The half-maximal inhibitory concentrations were 411.8 and 129 µg/ml, respectively in eggs hatching test and larval migration inhibition assay. Significant antinociceptive activity against various pain models was exhibited by S. vogelii extracts. The reduction of the number of abdominal contortions following intraperitoneal injection of acetic acid was observed, with maximum inhibition of 53.9 % ( p <0.01) recorded for methanolic extracts of stems and roots mixture at the dose of 400 mg/kg. Additionally, significant reduction ( p <0.01) of paw licking time was observed following subplantar injection of formalin, equivalent to a maximum inhibition of 61.95 % for the neurogenic pain and 69.34 % for the inflammatory pain respectively, with methanolic leaves extract. The plant has also significantly inhibited the nociceptive response provoked by tail immersion in hot water and by the subplantar injection of capsaicin or cinnamaldehyde in mice. Therefore suggesting that anti-nociceptive action of this plant could result from the inhibition of the release of endogenous mediators, the inhibition of arachidonic acid metabolism and by regulating the activation of the vanilloid receptor or inotropic channel. Overall, biological activities observed are linked to the plant’s chemical composition potential.