Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, Analgesic, and Antipyretic Effects of the Hydroalcoholic Extract from Aerial Parts of Genista tricuspidata Desf. and Its Potential Role in the Inhibition of Myeloperoxidase Activity

Abstract Genista species have recently attracted the attention of diverse authors for their phytochemical and biological properties, such as hypoglycemic, anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcer, spasmolytic and antioxidant. The aim of the present study was to assess the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic properties of hydroalcoholic extract from the aerial parts of Genista tricuspidata (HAEGT), endemic to North Africa and used in traditional medicine by many people in Algeria. The contents of phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and anthocyanins, and the antioxidant properties (NO•, HOCl, and MPO tests) of HAEGT extract, were determined in vitro. Anti-inflammatory activity was determined using the carrageenan model; tail immersion and acetic acid-induced writhing tests were used to measure the analgesic effect, and the pyrexia model (brewer’s yeast) was performed for antipyretic activity. The results highlight that the HAEGT extract contains the highest value of total phenolics (64.12 ±1.05 mg GAE/g) and flavonoids (97.05 ± 0.11 mg RE/g), and exerted high activity in NO• assay (90.66 ± 0.57% at 100 µg/mL). Besides, it exhibited inhibition of MPO activity on activated neutrophils. The results of the anti-inflammatory activity showed that HAEGT extract (200 mg/kg) significantly reduced (p < 0.001) the weight and thickness of the edema (61.95 ± 1.17%), it also exhibited a good analgesic potency by inhibiting the effect of acetic acid (63.96 ± 0.41%) and increasing latency to thermal stimuli at 90 min. Furthermore, a significant reduction in rectal temperature was observed with the HAEGT extract at a dose of 200 mg/kg. This study revealed that HAEGT extract displays remarkable analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities.