Evaluation of the Analgesic, Anti-Inflammatory and Antimicrobial Activities of Leaf Extracts of Breynia nivosa

Abstract

Breynia nivosa is used in treating headaches, toothaches and tooth infections. This study evaluated some ethnomedicinal uses of leaves of the plant. B. nivosa leaves were extracted with ethanol, and then fractionated using methanol, ethyl acetate and dichloromethane. The phytochemical screening of the plant was evaluated and the analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial activities of the extracts/fractions were determined using standard methods. The phytochemical screening of the plant leaves revealed the abundance of alkaloids and flavonoids. Glycosides, tannins, and starch were present in moderate amounts, while saponins were detected in lower quantities. Analgesic activity was recorded by all extracts/fractions of the plant, but best activity was recorded by the dichloromethane fraction whose percentage analgesia was higher than that recorded for the standard drug Diclofenac at all concentrations analyzed (50-200 mg/mL). Anti -inflammatory activity was recorded for all the extracts of B. nivosa at 50, 100, and 200mg/mL. But compared to the standard drug Diclofenac (50mg/mL), a higher anti inflammatory activity was recorded only for the crude ethanol extract and methanol fractionat concentrations of 100 and 200 mg/mL. In the antimicrobial evaluation of the crude ethanol extract of the B. nivosa, the plant recorded antimicrobial activity against S.aureus, S. typhi and B. subtilis, with best activity against S. typhi.It had no activity against E. coli, A. fumigatus and C. albicans. The extracts of B. nivosa leaves are natural analgesic, anti inflammatory and antimicrobial agent and could have therapeutic potential in the management of various chronic diseases