IN-VITRO ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTI-ARTHRITIC ACTIVITIES OF THE AQUEOUS AND ETHANOL LEAF AND ROOT-BARK EXTRACT OF ALAFIA BARTERI PLANT

Abstract

A medicinal plant is any plant that produces substances in one or more of its parts which may be used for therapeutic purposes or that are precursors to the synthesis of useful drugs. Alafia barteri (Apocyanaceae) is a medicinal plant used for the treatment of fever, malaria and inflammation related disorders. The aim of this research was to investigate the in-vitro antioxidant and anti-arthritic activities of the aqueous and ethanol leaf and root bark extract of Alafia barteri plant. In-vitro antioxidant methods used were DPPH scavenging assay, reducing power activity and hydrogen peroxide scavenging assay while the anti-arthritic activity was evaluated using the inhibition of protein denaturation method. Results revealed that the aqueous and ethanol roots extracts had higher DPPH scavenging and reducing power activity while the ethanol leaf and root extracts had good anti-arthritic activities.