Antihyperglycemic, Neuropharmacological, Cytotoxic, Anticoagulant, and Anti-inflammatory Pharmacological Evaluations of Vernonia elaeagnifolia DC Leaves Secondary Bioactive Metabolites

Abstract

The current investigation was carried out to confirm the antihyperglycemic, cytotoxic, neuropharmacological, anticoagulant, and anti-inflammatory effects of the ethanolic extract of Vernonia elaeagnifolia leaves in different experimental models. In the oral glucose tolerance test, the plant extract demonstrated significant (p < 0.05) antihyperglycemic activity by reducing the elevated blood glucose level in mice at both doses (250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg) when compared to the control groups. The crude ethanolic leaf extract, however, didn’t afford to block the α-glucosidase enzyme up to 0.5 mg/mL. The experimental mice showed a noticeable (p <0.001) decrease in locomotor and exploratory activities in the hole cross and open field tests, as well as head dipping in the hole-board test model in the neuropharmacological activity assay at both doses (250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg). The extracts also showed cytotoxic activity in a brine shrimp lethality bioassay with an LC50 of 91.929 μg/mL and showed significant concentration-dependent anticoagulant activity (p<0.001). Moreover, the extract (10–500 mg/kg) caused a significant (P<0.01 – 0.001) dose-dependent reduction of inflammation induced in rats by using two different models: formalin-induced paw edema and egg-albumin-induced paw edema. From the above results, the crude extract of V. elaeagnifolia DC leaves have significant pharmacological potential in different in vitro and in vivo study model. So, it could be a source of a substance for isolating lead that could be used to treat several diseases.