Phytochemical Profiling and Safety Assessment of Maerua crassifolia Forssk. Aerial Parts Infusion With Pharmacological Validation of Its Analgesic and Anti‐Inflammatory Activities

Maerua crassifolia Forssk. is used in Algerian traditional medicine to relieve pain and manage inflammation. This study aimed to explore the composition, safety, in vitro antioxidant activity and in vivo analgesic, and anti‐inflammatory effects of the infusion of M. crassifolia aerial parts. The infusion yielded 11.93 ± 1.08% (w/w) and exhibited high total phenolic (620.51 ± 2.54 mg GAE/100 g dry weight (d.w.)) and flavonoid (87.11 ± 0.76 mg QE/100 g d.w.) contents. Ultra‐performance liquid chromatography‐photodiode array detection‐tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC‐PDA‐MS/MS) identified 19 phenolic compounds. The infusion showed strong antioxidant activity in the four assays tested. Acute oral toxicity testing showed a favorable safety profile (LD 50 > 5000 mg/kg body weight (b.w.)). The results showed that the infusion exerted dose‐dependent analgesic activity, with the highest inhibition of abdominal writhing (74.02 ± 2.17%) and paw‐licking time (up to 77.78%) observed at 1000 mg/kg b.w., comparable to paracetamol, the standard analgesic drug. In the anti‐inflammatory test, the infusion produced dose‐dependent activity, with 44.42% ± 2.30% and 56.22% ± 1.52% inhibition at 500 and 1000 mg/kg b.w., respectively, comparable to the standard anti‐inflammatory drug sodium diclofenac. These findings position M. crassifolia as a promising candidate for the management of pain and inflammation.