Phytochemical Profile, Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Activities of Anagallis arvensis L

Abstract

The plant Anagallis arvensis L. belonging to the Primulaceae family, is considered as a biologically significant species in phytochemical studies. This study aims to conduct a qualitative and quantitative chemical characterization of secondary metabolites, in addition to evaluating the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of the aqueous extract of the plant aerial parts, prepared via the decoction method. The extraction process yielded a recovery rate of 17.76%.Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed a diverse range of bioactive compounds, including saponins, terpenoids, while polyphenols and tannins were recorded in trace amounts. Regarding the quantitative estimation of phenolic compound, results showed that the total polyphenol content, measured by the Folin-Ciocalteu method, reached 66.25 mg GAE/g of extract. Flavonoid content was recorded at 17.39±0.67 mg QE/gof extract, while flavonol and tannin concentrations were 8.86±2.32 (µgQE/mg of extract) and 110±10.29 (µgCE/mg of extract) respectively.The antioxidant capacity of the aqueous extract was evaluated using three integrated in vitro assays. The DPPH radical scavenging assay: The extract demonstrated notable activity with an IC50 value of 46.40±15.63 µg/mL, compared to the BHA reference (2.60±2.76 µg/mL).In Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) test, the extract recorded an EC50 value of 936.36±89.63 µg/mL, versus 56.37±6.71 µg/mL for the BHA reference. For the Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC): results revealed superior performance, with the extract reaching 178±0.8% relative to ascorbic acid and 218.1±0.98% relative to quercetin.Regarding the anti-inflammatory activity, the extract demonstrated a potent capacity to inhibit protein (BSA) denaturation, recording an IC50 value of 207.69 µg/mL, which significantly outperformed the reference drug, Aspirin, which recorded 389.81µg/mL.These findings highlight the promising potential of Anagallis arvensis L. as a rich natural source of antioxidants, opening horizons for further in-depth research regarding its biological and pharmaceutical applications.