Pharmacological Evaluation of Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Potential of Cuscuta Reflexa Methanol Extract: Role in Inhibition of Cyclooxygenase and Lipooxygenase

Abstract

In this study, the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of the methanol extract of Cuscuta reflexa (CRWP-M) were evaluated. The plant material was collected from Dehradun and processed to obtain the extract, which was tested for its total phenolic content, reducing power, and scavenging activities against DPPH and superoxide radicals. The extract's inhibition of cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and 5-lipoxygenase (LOX) enzymes was also assessed. Results showed that the extract contained 0.132 mg/mL of gallic acid equivalents of phenolic compounds. In the reducing power assay, the extract demonstrated lower activity compared to Quercetin and Vitamin C across all concentrations. For DPPH radical scavenging, the extract was more effective than BHT at low concentrations but less effective at higher concentrations. The extract exhibited a dose-dependent inhibition of COX-1, COX-2, and LOX, with the most significant effect on LOX (IC50 of 106.49 μg/mL). In superoxide radical scavenging, Vitamin C consistently outperformed the extract at all tested concentrations. These findings suggest that while CRWP-M has notable antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, its efficacy varies across different assays and is generally lower than that of standard antioxidants like Quercetin and Vitamin C.