Abstract

Cochlospermum planchonii is widely used in folk medicine in many Af-rican countries and has been shown to have beneficial activity in a number of disease conditions. The plant is proposed to contain anti-inflammatory compounds that can relieve pain and inflammation asso-ciated with elevated levels of prostaglandins in the body. The present study was therefore aimed at investigating the phytochemicals present in the methanolic extract of the leaves of Cochlospermum planchonii L. (Cochlospermaceae) and also evaluating the antioxidant and COX-1/COX-2 inhibitory activities of the extract. Antioxidant activity was de-termined using a 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) assay. Phyto-chemical evaluation performed using standard known methods re-vealed the presence of steroids/terpenes, cardiac glycosides, saponins, tannins, flavonoids and alkaloids. The extract had significant antioxidant activity of 93±0.11% in the DPPH assay. The extract was found to inhibit COX-2 selectively. The preliminary antioxidant screening indicated that the extract possesses the potential to scavenge free radicals and the capacity to bleach DPPH. The COX assay was carried out with a view to providing a simple mechanism by which the extract exhibits its anti-inflammatory action. The present results are consistent with the traditional use of this plant in phytotherapeutic preparations for managing pain and inflammation related ailments.

Key words: Cyclo-oxygenase inhibition, DPPH, Ethnopharmacology, Free radicals, Secondary metabolites