Study of Antioxidant, Anti-inflammatory, Antinociceptive Activities and Toxicity of Stigmata of Zea mays Extracts

Abstract

This study aims to investigate phytochemical screening, total polyphenol and flavonoids content, antioxidant activities and to examine toxicity, anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects of different extracts of stigmata of Zea mays from Morocco. The flavonoids and total phenols content were performed for both extracts. The aqueous and hydro-ethanolic extracts were screened for their possible antioxidant activities by three test systems, namely DPPH free radical-scavenging, reducing power and molybdenum system. Oral and Sub-acute toxicity of the hydro-ethanolic extract was evaluated in vivo. Anti-inflammatory activity of the hydro-ethanolic extract was evaluated by Carrageenaninduced rat paw edema method. The antinociceptive effect was tested by using the formalin test. Phytochemical screening of the extracts revealed a presence of flavonoids, leucoanthocyans, heterosid sterodic, coumarins, alkaloids, cardiac glycosides, anthocyanins and tannins. The flavonoids and total phenols content show higher content of flavonoids and total phenols in the hydro-ethanolic extract. It showed better antioxidant activity than the aqueous extract in the three methods used. Furthermore, the hydro-ethanolic extract with a concentration of 250 and 500 mg/kg body weight inhibited the inflammation induced by carrageenan in rats at 66.67% and 86.67% compared to 60.8% for indomethacin at 10 mg/kg after 5 h of inflammation induction. However, at dose of 500 mg/kg extract showed a pro-inflammatory effect. In the formalin test, the tolerance time of the rats was significantly higher compared to the control group. These initial results tend to support the traditional use in the treatment of cystitis, oliguria, nephritis, renal lithiasis edema, albuminuria, heart disease, slimming cures of stigmata of Zea mays in Morocco.