PHYTOCHEMICAL PROFILING AND ASSESSMENT OF ANTI-ARTHRITIC POTENTIAL OF CAESALPINIA CRISTA EXTRACT
Alok Ranjan Choubey, Khushboo Chouhan, Satkar Prasad
ABSTRACT
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disorder characterized by joint inflammation, pain, swelling, and progressive tissue damage. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the anti-arthritic and antioxidant potential of methanolic leaf extract of Caesalpinia crista using a Freund’s Complete Adjuvant (FCA)-induced arthritis model in rats. The leaves were collected, authenticated, dried, powdered, and extracted using methanol by Soxhlet extraction. The methanolic extract showed a percentage yield of 7.60% w/w and was subjected to preliminary phytochemical screening, which revealed the presence of flavonoids, phenols, saponins, carbohydrates, diterpenes, tannins, and sterols. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents were found to be 0.68 mg/100 mg and 0.92 mg/100 mg, respectively. Anti-arthritic activity was evaluated by measuring paw volume and inflammatory biomarkers including PGE?, IL-1?, and TNF-?. Oxidative stress was assessed through estimation of reduced glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels. FCA administration produced marked paw swelling, elevation of inflammatory mediators, and reduction in antioxidant enzyme levels. Treatment with the methanolic extract significantly reduced paw volume and inflammatory marker levels while restoring GSH and SOD levels toward normal values. The findings indicate that the methanolic leaf extract of Caesalpinia crista possesses significant anti-inflammatory, anti-arthritic, and antioxidant activities. These effects may be attributed to the synergistic action of its phytoconstituents, particularly phenolic and flavonoid compounds. Further studies are warranted to isolate the active constituents and establish their precise mechanisms of action.
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