High Antioxidant Capacities and Anti-inflammatory Effects of Hammada elegans Botsch. Extracts: An in vitro Assessment

Introduction: Plants supply traditional Algerian medicines for the treatment of antiinflammatory effect. The reasons for the use of traditional treatments were that pure compounds obtained were also effective in reducing the toxicities of toxic agents or other drugs. Methods: In this study, we explore the phytochemical composition and the phenolic content by indirect method to evaluate the antioxidants and the anti-inflammatory capacities of twelve extracts from three plants. Results: Results: The total phenolic content ranged from 0.168 ± 0.020 to 4.166 ± 0.124 mg per gram of dry weight. Phytochemical screening revealed that tannins, C-heterosides, O-reduced heterosides and reducing compounds are the most common chemical groups. The highest antiradical activity was achieved with methanolic extract of Hammada elegans (EC50 = 0.551 ± 0.171mg/mL). However, the acetonic extract of Hammada elegans represents the most important reducing activity (EC50 = 0.747 ± 0.004mg/mL). Moreover, this extract also displays the highest chelating ferrous ions effect (EC50 = 5.749 ± 0.009 mg/mL) while the hydromethanolic extract of Cleome arabica has the best antilipoperoxidative effect (EC50 = 0.031 ± 0.000mg/mL). Furthermore, all extracts inhibit the activity of lipooxygenase and cyclooxygenase with IC50 values less than 19.210 ± 0.297 mg/mL. Therefore, the acetonic extract of Hammada elegans appears to be twice greater than that of standard inhibitors. Conclusion: The fractionation of the acetonic extract of Hammada elegans has given a potent bioactive compound which seems to have potential therapeutic possibilities for the prevention of the inflammatory effects.