Antioxidant and Anti-Arthritic Activity of Bombax buonopozense P. Beauv. Leaves

Background and aim: Bombax buonopozense (Bombacaceae) leaves have been used traditionally for arthritis in south-western Nigeria. Therefore, the aim of the study was to investigate the antioxidant and anti-arthritic activity of B. buonopozense in Complete Freund adjuvant-induce arthritic wistar rats. Experimental procedure: The plant leaves methanol extract and fractions were screened for preliminary phytochemicals and brine shrimp lethality was determined. Total phenolic content (TPC), Total flavonoid content (TFC) as well as anti-oxidant activity of the extract and fractions were evaluated using 2,2-diphenyl- 1- picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). Cyclophosphamide, gallic acid, and ascorbic acid were used as standards respectively. Anti-arthritic activity of crude methanol extract (BBME) at 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg was evaluated in complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA) induced arthritis model in rats. Data were analysed using Graph pad prism version 5, two-way and one-way ANOVA, and Bonferroni post hoc test. Results and conclusion: Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of flavonoids, alkaloids, and phenolics. The brine shrimp lethality assay of the crude extract and fractions gave LC50 value ≥ 1000 µg/mL, compared to Cyclophosphamide (LC50 = 224.7±0.35µg/mL). The BBME had TPC value of 19.8±0.56 mg GAE/g, while the TFC of ethyl acetate fraction was the highest (173.5±0.05 mg QE/g). The ethyl acetate fraction has the highest antioxidant activity (IC50 = 20.96±0.23 µg/mL) as compared to ascorbic acid (2.8±0.01) and rutin (20.6±9.26 µg/mL). BBME significantly reduced the paw circumference. BBME (400 mg/kg) prevented biochemical changes to a greater extent than Celecoxib (20 mg/kg). Bombax buonopozense leaves could be an effective antiarthritic and holds prospect in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.