Abstract
Background
Orchidaceae member Cymbidium aloifolium (L.) Sw. has been used as a medicine in numerous cultures for a range of ailments. This research evaluates the leaf, bulb, and root of C. aloifolium methanolic extract for pharmacological and phytochemical activities.
Methods: The DPPH free radical scavenging technique assessed antioxidant activity. Protein denaturation and brine shrimp mortality experiments were used to investigate in vitro anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic effects. In vivo analgesia was tested using acetic acid-induced writhing and a tail immersion test. Anxiolytic activity was assessed using elevated plus mazes (EPM) and head-dipping.
Results
The methanolic extract of C. aloifolium leaf, bulb, and root contained alkaloids, saponins, terpenes, steroids, and flavonoids. With an IC50 value of 51.141 µg/ml, the bulb extract of C. aloifolium showed strong antioxidant activity against DPPH free radicals. The leaf of C. aloifolium showed anti-inflammatory action in vitro with an IC50 value of 22.22 µg/ml, similar to Diclofenac-Na. During the cytotoxicity experiment, it was shown that the LC50 value for the methanol extract of the leaf (200.94 µg/ml) was much higher than that of the reference medicine (42.75 µg/ml). Significant (p<0.001) findings were observed in peripheral and central analgesic action for leaf, bulb, and root was found that the methanolic extract of C. aloifolium leaf, root, and bulb increased open arm time and entries in the elevated plus maze significantly (p <0.05) compared to the control group. This showed that the 200 and 400 mg/kg doses had anxiolytic activity. Our investigation found that a 400 mg/kg dosage of C. aloifolium bulb and root leads to considerable head lowering (24.00 ± 0.52*** and 37.83 ± 0.60***, respectively, p<0.001).
Conclusion
In this research, a methanol extract of C. aloifolium leaves, bulbs, and roots showed effects as an anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic, pain-relieving, and anxiety-reducing substance in the lab.