Antioxidant, Analgesic and Antipyretic Activities of Ethanol Extract of the Stem Bark Dichaetanthera africana (Hooker F.) Jacq. Felix. (Melastomataceae)

Aims: This study was designed to elucidate the antioxidant, analgesic and antipyretic activities of the ethanol extract of the stem bark of Dichaetanthera africana.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, VNS Group of Institutions, Bhopal, India, between September 2014 and November 2014.

Methodology: Antioxidant activities were determined in vitro by the total phenolic, total flavonoid, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), DPPH, hydrogen peroxide and ABTS methods. Analgesic and antipyretic activities were investigated using the acetic acid induced writhing and brewer’s yeast induced hyperpyrexia assays respectively.

Results: Ethanol extract had high phenolic (4.15-44.35 mgCA/g) and flavonoid (85.56-596.7 mgCA/g) contents and FRAP (187.87-371.41 mgCA/g). This extract exhibited strong DPPH (IC50 = 0.49 µg/ml), H2O2(IC50 = 1.62 µg/ml) and ABTS (IC50= 0.43 µg/ml) radical scavenging activities. Significant reduction of abdominal writhing (P< 0.001) and fever (P< 0.001) were observed in rats in a dose dependent manner after administration of the ethanol extract with the most effective dose being 400 mg/kg b.w.

Conclusion: These results provide promising baseline information for the potential use of Dichaetanthera africana in the treatment of pain and fever.