African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines

BACKGROUND : The study was aimed at determining the anti-inflammatory activity of fractions and extracts obtained from Strychnos nspinosa leaves on a mediator of inflammation nitric oxide (NO). nMATERIALS AND METHODS : Leaves were extracted with acetone and separated into fractions with different polarities by solventsolvent nfractionation. The Griess assay was used to determine the nitric oxide (NO) inhibitory activity. Cellular toxicity was ndetermined by “using the MTT reduction assay”. nRESULTS : With the exception of the ethyl acetate fraction which had an IC50 >750 μg/mL, all extracts and fractions had significant nnitric oxide-inhibitory activity. The most active being the water fraction, chloroform fraction and the dichloromethane/methanol nextracts with IC50 values of 88.43 μg/mL, 96.72 μg/mL and 115.62 μg/mL, respectively. The extracts and fractions had low ncytotoxicity on macrophage U937 cell lines. nCONCLUSION : Extracts and fractions of Strychnos spinosa leaves may be promising sources of natural anti-inflammatory agents. nFindings obtained from this study showed that Strychnos spinosa leaves possess promising anti-inflammatory action and could be nused in the treatment of inflammation-related conditions.