POLYPHENOLIC PROFILE AND ANTI-INFLAMMATORY, ANALGESIC AND ANTIOXIDANT EFFECTS OF ETHANOLIC AND HYDRO-ETHANOLIC EXTRACTS OF HEINSIA CRINITA AFZ.G. TAYLOR AND TETRACERA ALNIFOLIA WILLD

The aim of this study was to determine the anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antioxidant effects and the polyphenols composition of Tetracera alnifolia Willd and Heinsia crinita Afz. G. Taylor extracts. The anti-inflammatory effect of the hydro-ethanolic and ethanolic extracts was evaluated by the carrageenan-induced rat paw oedema test and the analgesic effect by the Randall-Selitto test. Antioxidant activity of the extracts was evaluated spectrophotometrically using the DPPH radical scavenging assay and the polyphenolic profile, by an HPLC-MS method. All extracts of H. crinita and T. alnifolia (500 mg/kg) showed significant anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. The extract of T. alnifolia has shown an antioxidant effect greater than that of H. crinita. Gallic acid (33.31 mu g/mL) and rutin (34.70 mu g/mL) are the major polyphenolic compounds of T. alnifolia and H. crinita, respectively. This study justifies the use in the traditional medicine of T. alnifolia and H. crinita. The obtained results are promising for the use of these extract in the management of inflammatory diseases.