Exploring the anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial potential of smilax zeylanica extract through in vivo and in vitro analysis

Abstract

Plants have long been used as supplies of food, building materials, textiles, spices, colours, and medicines. Most rural communities have traditionally relied heavily on the traditional healing system to maintain both physical and mental health. The bioactive components from the leaf extract of Smilax zeylanica L demonstrated strong anti-inflammatory and antibacterial action in the current study. The leaf extract had a maximum inhibition of protein denaturation with 78.65% at 150 µg/ml concentration, compared to the standard drug aspirin which had an inhibition of 67.69% at 150 µg/ml. The in vivo anti-inflammatory analysis also showed reduction in edema percentage with increasing in the concentration of test extract over time. The in vitro antimicrobial activity of leaf extract against S aureus, E coli was evaluated at various concentrations (1, 2 and 4 mg). The maximum zone of inhibition was observed against S. aureus as compared to E. coli. Total phenolic (TPC) and total flavonoid contents (TFC) of the crude extract were also determined by Folin–Ciocalteu’s phenol reagent and by aluminium chloride method respectively.