In vitro Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Leaves of Jeffreycia zeylanica Using the Egg Albumin Denaturation Method and Human Red Blood Cell Stabilization Method

Aims To investigate the in vitro anti-inflammatory activity of aqueous, methanol, dichloromethane (DCM), and hexane extracts of Jeffreycia zeylanica leaves extracts. In vitro protein (egg albumin) denaturation method and in vitro human red blood cell (HRBC) membrane stabilization methods were used to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of the leaf extracts.

Methodology Plant leaves were collected, washed, air dried, and obtained crude plant material. Cold maceration was used to extract the plant materials. Aqueous, methanol, DCM, and hexane were used as solvents for maceration. Diclofenac sodium was used as the positive control for the evaluation.

Results In the egg albumin denaturation method, the positive control diclofenac sodium indicated an IC 50 value of 179.2 µg/ml and R2 of 0.9979. Similarly, hexane leaf extract suggested an IC 50 value of 154.9 µg/ml and R2 of 0.9114. P values for all the extracts were P<0.05 indicating that there’s a strong correlation between plant extract concentration and % inhibition of egg albumin denaturation. According to the IC 50 values and R2 value hexane extract indicated the highest potential anti-inflammatory activity. In the HRBC membrane stabilization method, the positive control diclofenac sodium indicated an IC 50 value of 77.05 µg/ml and R2 of 0.9929 similarly DCM leaf extract indicated an IC 50 value of 154.0 µg/ml and R2 of 0.9787. P values for all the extracts were P<0.05 indicating that there’s a strong correlation between plant extracts concentration and % protection of RBC membrane. According to the IC 50 values and R2 value DCM extract indicated the highest potential anti-inflammatory activity.

Conclusion Hexane leaf extract indicated the highest potential anti-inflammatory activity for the egg albumin denaturation method meanwhile DCM leaf extract indicated the highest potential anti-inflammatory activity for the HRBC membrane stabilization method, evidencing that nonpolar or less polar secondary metabolites of the plant leaves can contribute more to the plant’s anti-inflammatory activity.