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This study investigated the phytochemical constituents and antioxidant properties of crude extracts of C. argentea at different maturity stages and seasons. Total phenols, flavonoids, and proanthocyanidin content from water, acetone and methanol extracts were evaluated spectrophotometrically. The antioxidant activities were measured using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2 0 -azino-bis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) models. Results showed that the flowering stages in all the solvent extracts gave the highest polyphenolic content with the acetone extract significantly higher than the methanol and aqueous extracts (P < 0.05). The highest value for total polyhenolic content 80.75 AE 4.21 for the first trial and 89.69 AE 2.13 μg/mL in the second trial; while the flavonoids was 874.76 AE 7.87 and 946.19 AE 7.87 μg/mL in the first and second trials respectively; and proanthocyanidin content was 170.00 AE 0 and 100.90 AE 1.29 μg/mL. Overall, the aqueous extracts had the lowest content of all the phytochemicals. The antioxidant activities ranged from low to high at different growth stages of the plant. While low to no activity was observed in the aqueous extracts in all the assays, the methanol extracts of the flowering stages showeds the best activity in the first and second trials with IC 50 values of 104.10 AE 8.59 and 120.02 AE 13.37 μg/mL respectively in ABTS. Similar trend was obtained in the DPPH assay with the highest activity in the methanol flowering extract with IC 50 of 52.36 AE 0.76 μg/mL (first trial) and 49.36 AE 0.29 μg/mL (second trial).The FRAP and TAC also had the highest activity in the flowering stages in all solvents, but with the acetone extracts having the overall inhibition on both radicals. This study revealed that Celosia argentea phytoconsituents and antioxidant potential can be influenced by physiological and developmental stages of the plant.

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Background This study was aimed at investigating the possible anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic effects of extracts from the flowering stage of C. argentea. This growth stage was chosen because of its high polyphenolic content and high antioxidant capacity. Methods Anti-inflammatory potential of the aqueous, acetone and methanol extracts of C. argentea was evaluated through the inhibition of nitric oxide production (LPS-induced) on stimulated macrophages (RAW 264.7), while MTT assay was used to assess cell viability with Silymarin as standard. Cytotoxicity of the plant extracts was evaluated on murine preadipocyte cell line (3 T3-L1) using the image-based method of two DNA-binding dyes; Hoechst 33342 and propidium iodide (PI) with melphalan as standard. Results Acetone extract exhibited moderate, dose-dependent anti-inflammatory activity with no significant toxicity to activated macrophages, however the aqueous and methanol extracts were unable to inhibit nitric oxide production at both trials. MTT assay and the toxicity assay revealed that the flowering stage extracts of C. argentea were not toxic to the RAW 264.7 macrophages and 3 T3-L1 cells at all the tested concentrations (0, 2, 50, 100 and 200 μg/mL). Conclusions These findings corroborate the traditional use of C. argentea for painful inflammatory conditions and encourage its possible use as lead for the development of novel, non-toxic, anti-inflammatory agents.