Comparative Studies on Anti-Inflammatory, Antioxidant and Antimutagenic Activities of Crassocephalum crepidioides (Bent) Leaf Cold and Hot Water Extracts

Aim: To investigate the anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and genotoxicity activities of Crassocephalum crepidioides leaf.

Study Design: Comparative investigations of the medicinal value and toxicity profile of cold water (CW) and hot water (HW) extracts of C. crepidioides leaf.

Place and Duration of Study: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. January 2015-October 2016.

Materials and Methods: CW and HW of C. crepidioides were analyzed for anti-inflammatory activity via red blood cell membrane stabilization technique and in vitro methods using DPPH radical scavenging activity, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and inhibition of oxidative haemolysis were employed to evaluate the antioxidant property. Allium cepa chromosomal assay was adopted to investigate the genotoxic effect of the extracts. Total flavonoid and phenolic contents of the extracts were estimated spectrophotometrically.

Results: Both extracts stabilized stressed red blood cell membranes with maximum percentage stability of 50.97±0.06 and 90.90±0.02 at 0.5 and 2.0 mg/ml for CW and HW extracts respectively. The CW extract elicited no DPPH radical scavenging (IC50 -0.63±0.02 mg/ml) and lipid peroxidation (IC50 -0.32±0.00) activities. HW extract had IC50 of 0.29±0.02 and 0.17±0.00 mg/ml for DPPH and lipid peroxidation. CW and HW extracts exhibited FRAP activity of 1186.96±0.01 and 1015.54±0.01 µmol AAE/g respectively. CW extract displayed a weaker protection (29.01±0.01%) against oxidative haemolysis compared to HW extract (68.70 ± 0.00%). CW extract contained higher phenolic contents (2.16±0.03 µmolGAE/g extract) while the HW extract contained higher flavonoids (0.61±0.05 µmolQE/g extract). CW and HW extracts inhibited A. cepa root growth to 71.40±0.02 and 59.10±0.02% respectively. A. cepa mitotic index was reduced to 8.85±0.01 and 8.67±0.02 for CW and HW extracts as compared with control (26.62%).

Conclusion: The study concluded that consumption of C. crepidioides leaf in cooked form has more medicinal values however, both CW and HW extracts are capable of causing cellular damage at high doses.