Phytochemical Profiling and In Vitro Anti-Inflammatory Potential of Stachytarpheta indica (L.) Vahl Leaf Extracts
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Abstract
Medicinal plants represent a valuable source of bioactive compounds with therapeutic relevance, particularly in the management of inflammatory disorders. This study investigated the phytochemical profile and in vitro anti-inflammatory activity of aqueous and methanolic leaf extracts of Stachytarpheta indica (L.) Vahl. Leaves were collected from Bhopal, authenticated botanically, and extracted using infusion (aqueous) and Soxhlet (methanolic) methods. Qualitative phytochemical screening revealed notable solvent-specific variation, with aqueous extracts containing tannins, saponins, glycosides, phenolics, flavonoids, alkaloids, and terpenoids, whereas methanolic extracts lacked tannins, saponins, and glycosides. Total phenolic content (TPC) was higher in the aqueous extract (0.0753 mg GAE/mL) compared to the methanolic extract (0.0718 mg GAE/mL), while total flavonoid content (TFC) was greater in the methanolic extract (0.4068 µg QE/mg) than the aqueous fraction (0.287 µg QE/mg). Anti-inflammatory potential assessed by the heat-induced protein denaturation assay demonstrated significant inhibition by the aqueous extract (42.16%) relative to the methanolic extract (6.32%), with aspirin showing 79.1% inhibition. The enhanced activity of the aqueous extract correlates with elevated phenolic-tannin presence and their known protein-stabilizing effects. Overall, the findings highlight S. indica as a promising source of natural anti-inflammatory agents and support the relevance of aqueous preparations in traditional medicine.
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