In-vitro antioxidant, Xanthine oxidase-inhibitory and in-vivo Anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antipyretic activity of <em>Onopordum acanthium</em>

Abstract

&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Onopordum acanthium&lt;/em&gt; (Scotch thistle) belong to Asteraceae (Compositae). &lt;em&gt;O. acanthium&lt;/em&gt; is a flowering biennial plant native to Europe and Western Asia with coarse spiny leaves 20-50 cm in width with conspicuous and spiny-winged stems. We have previously reported pro-apoptotic and cytotoxic effect of &lt;em&gt;Onopordum acanthium&lt;/em&gt; crude extract against glioblastoma U-373 cells. The present study was designed to evaluate the cytotoxicity, antioxidant, xanthine oxidase inhibition, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antipyretic activity of butanolic extract of &lt;em&gt;Onopordum acanthium&lt;/em&gt;. Cytotoxicity of different solvent (methanolic, butanol, chloroform and petroleum ether) extract studied by brine shrimp lethality bioassay, total flavonoid and phenolic, antioxidant, xanthine oxidase inhibition activity was studied by &lt;em&gt;in-vitro&lt;/em&gt; whereas anti- inflammation studied by carrageenan-induced paw edema model, antipyretic with 20 % brew yeast injection induced pyretic model, analgesic with 1 % acetic acid induced analgesic model investigated in &lt;em&gt;in-vivo &lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt;in&lt;/em&gt; wistar rats. Good antioxidant activity was found with IC50 = 134.4 µg/ml with considerable amount of total phenolic and flavonoid content. Xanthine oxidase inhibition effect was weak with IC50 = 572.9 µg/ml. Oral administration of &lt;em&gt;O. Acanthium&lt;/em&gt; butanolic extract (OA) showed minimum lethality of brine shrimp nauplii henceforth OA butanolic phases was selected for further &lt;em&gt;in-vivo&lt;/em&gt; studies. OA 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight decreased the oedema by 37.78 % and 40.52 %, respectively; standard aspirin 100 mg/kg decreased 42.62 % at 5th hour of Carrageenan injection. OA 200 and 400 mg/kg significantly decreased acetic acid-induced abdominal writhes when compared to standard aspirin. OA have shown dose and time dependent decrease in body temperature in yeast induced pyrexia, comparable to standard, aspirin. The present results demonstrate that OA has notable anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, analgesic activity related to presence of phenolic compounds as from literature it has been demonstrated that isolated compounds from aerial parts of &lt;em&gt;Onopordum acanthium &lt;/em&gt;had strong activity in &lt;em&gt;in-vitro&lt;/em&gt; assay. &lt;/p&gt;

Traditional Medicine Plant, Onopordum acanthium L. (Asteraceae): Chemical Composition and Pharmacological Research

“…Similar research was conducted by Habibatni [ 22 ], using DPPH and butanol extract from leaves of O. acanthium . Antioxidant activity was measured as IC 50 134.4 mg/mL.…”

“…Habibatni [ 22 ] also determined the content of phenols in butanol extract of O. acanthium leaves (8.96 mg of gallic acid/100 mg of dry extract).…”

“…Apigenin and luteolin were isolated from the aerial part of O. acanthium in the amount of 4.5 mg per 4.4 kg of dry raw materials. They are also found in the leaves and flowers [ 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 ].…”

“…Habibatni [ 22 ] investigated extracts of methanol, hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and butanol from O. acanthium leaves for cytotoxicity using Artemia salina leach. The lowest cytotoxic effect was observed for the butanol extract.…”

“…The antipyretic effect of butanol extract of O. acanthium leaves has been tested on rats [ 22 ]. Animals received subcutaneous injection of a pyrogenic dose of brewer’s yeast 20% (1 mL/100 g body weight).…”