ANTI-INFLAMMATORY AND ANTI-OXIDANT ACTIVITIES OF METHANOL EXTRACT OF BAPHIA NITIDA

Objectives: Baphia nitida is a tropical plant used in African folkloric medicine for the treatment of infections and inflammatory conditions. This study therefore seeks to investigate the biological activities including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of leaf and root methanol extracts of B. nitida. Methods: Anti-inflammatory activity of extract was investigated by the carrageenan-induced paw edema model of inflammation, respectively. The antioxidant properties of the extracts as determined by the DPPH free radical scavenging assay. Results: The result showed that B. nitida extract caused a concentration dependent percentage increase of antioxidant activity. The leaves and root extract demonstrated potent anti-inflammatory activity at low concentrations of between 25-75 mg /kg body weight. The ascorbic acid standard had a better antioxidant activity of 63.59% at the concentration of 10 μg/ml and 81.63% at 400 μg/ml. Conclusion: The methanol root extract at lower doses exhibited anti-inflammatory properties. Methanol leaf extract than the root extract. Both the leaf and root extracts of B. nitida exhibited antioxidant activity.