ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTI-INFLAMMATORY ACTIVITY OF CRUDE FLAVONOID FRACTION OF MITRAGYNA PARVIFOLIA

Inflammation is considered a primary physiologic defense mechanism that helps the body to protect itself against infection, burn, toxic chemicals, allergens, or other noxious stimuli. Inflammatory diseases are currently treated with steroidal and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Unfortunately, both of these widely prescribed drug classes have significant negative side effects. Hence, there is a need to develop new drugs with novel modes of action that do not produce considerable side effects. The use of traditional medicine and medicinal plants in most developing countries as a normative basis for the maintenance of good health, has been widely observed. So, crude flavonoid fraction of Mitragyna parvifolia was screened for anti-inflammatory activity using Carrageenan induced method and Formalin induced method at various doses (50,100 &200 mg/kg), and the results were compared with standard drug diclofenac sodium (20 mg/kg). It showed significant activity at 200 mg/kg. The Crude flavonoid fraction was also screened for antioxidant activity at various concentrations (20, 40, 60, 80,100μg/ml) using the DPPH free radical scavenging method. The antioxidant activity was concentration-dependent which was compared with standard antioxidant ascorbic acid. The highest antioxidant activity of CFF of M. parvifolia was observed at a concentration of 100μg/ml.