Investigation of the Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Capacities of Different Extracts from Cistus ladanifer L. Leaves in the Ait Ammart Region (Northern Morocco)

Abstract

Plants are a significant source for identifying new compounds (particularly secondary metabolites) with medicinal value for drug development, pharmaceuticals, and food additives. Many of these healing plants are frequently used in conventional medicine to treat and prevent various diseases. The purpose of the current research is to assess the total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) for phytochemical analysis, DPPH and FRAP (Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power) assays for antioxidant activity (AOA), and the activity of reducing inflammation exhibited by various extracts, which were determined by measurement of absorbance with a UV spectrophotometer. The outcome demonstrated that the Cistus ladanifer L leaf aqueous extract (EAqCL) has the highest yield (15.581%) and the highest phenolic content (98.28 ± 0.32 mg GAE/gext) compared to the other extracts. Whereas, ethanol extract (EECL) exhibited the highest flavonoid content (11.39 ± 1.45 mg QE/gext), DPPH-radical scavenging activity (RSA = 94.534 ± 1.24%) at 800 µg/ml and FRAP (1.017 ± 0.12) at 400 μg/mL. The extract also showed better anti-inflammatory activity (95.61 ± 0.92%) at 1000 µg/ml. According to the results obtained, this sticky shrub growing in the Ait Ammart region has great potential for exploiting natural sources of bioactive substances and producing pharmacologically active metabolites.

Keywords

• cistus ladanifer l
• solvent extraction
• polyphenols
• antioxidant
• anti-inflammatory