Anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant activities of ethanolic extracts of Tamarindus indica L. (Fabaceae)

Abstract Various parts of Tamarindus indica L are used to treat inflammatory disorders. This study evaluated the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of the ethanolic extracts of the root and stem bark of the plant. The carrageenan-induced paw edema model of inflammation in chicks was used to assess anti-inflammatory activity. The phosphomolybdenum (PM) assay, 2, 2—diphenyl—1—picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical and hydrogen peroxide scavenging assays were used to investigate antioxidant potential. Total phenolic content was evaluated by the Folin–Ciocalteu method. Both stem bark and root extracts possessed similar total phenolic content (11–13 g/100 g AAE) and had comparable total antioxidant capacities (about 27 g/100 g GAE). However, the stem bark extract was a better scavenger of both DPPH radicals and hydrogen peroxide, with lower IC50 values than the root extract. In the anti-inflammation test, both extracts exhibited dose-dependent reduction of edema, similar to the standard drugs used. The root extract, with ED50 of 118.1 ± 1.9 mg/kg, proved superior to the stem bark extract, whose ED50 was 154.5 ± 2.6 mg/kg. The results showed that both stem bark and root extracts possess potent anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant activity and confirm their use in folkloric medicine.