Abstract

EVALUATION OF ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTI-INFLAMMATORY POTENTIAL OF METHANOL EXTRACT OF OCIMUM GRATISSIMUM LEAF

Ikenna Elvis Nnaoma*, Obinna Ajah and Cecilia Chika Unegbu

Abstract

The rich history of traditional medicine, rooted in the use of medicinal plants across diverse cultures for thousands of years. Ocimum gratissimum, commonly known as African basil is renowned for its versatile medicinal properties. This study evaluated the in-vitro antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of the methanol extract Ocimum gratissimum leaf. The study employed various standard assays for evaluating antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, which includes hydrogen peroxide, nitric oxide scavenging, lipid peroxidation, reducing power, heat-induced hemolysis, protein denaturation, proteinase inhibitory, and lipoxygenase inhibition activities. The results indicate significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential methanol extract Ocimum gratissimum leaf in a concentration dependent manner. The anti-inflammatory potential revealed hemolysis inhibition (4.20 – 18.33%), inhibition of protein denaturation (25.50 – 64.10%), proteinase inhibition (14.80 – 30.01%) and lipoxygenase inhibition (8.19 – 30.95%). of as a valuable resource in traditional medicine. Ocimum gratissimum's methanol leaf extract demonstrated notable antioxidant activities, as evidenced by its ability to scavenge hydrogen peroxide, inhibit nitric oxide, and mitigate lipid peroxidation. Additionally, the extract exhibited antiinflammatory properties through inhibition of heat-induced hemolysis, protein denaturation, proteinase, and lipoxygenase activities. Therefore, usage of Ocimum gratissimum leaf as potential sources of safe and effective therapeutic agents for ameliorating oxidative and inflammation related disease should be encouraged.

Keywords: Ocimum gratissimum, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammation, oxidative stress.