Background: The purpose of the current study is to identify the phytochemicals as well as to determine the level of antioxidant, cytotoxic, antimicrobial and in vivo analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antidiarrheal activity of leaf methanolic extract of Colocasia affinis Schott (LMCA). Methods: To appraise the antioxidant activities the extensively used total phenol, flavonoid, total antioxidant capacity, ferric reducing antioxidant power, cupric reducing antioxidant capacity and DPPH scavenging assay have been used. Cytotoxic potential was determined by brine shrimp lethality test whereas antimicrobial activity was assessed by disc diffusion method. Acetic acid induced writhing and formalin induced paw licking methods were employed to evaluate analgesic activity. To gauge anti-inflammatory activity, xylene-induced ear edema and carrageenan induced paw edema methods were used. Castor oil induced diarrhea and magnesium sulfate induced enteropooling methods were used to figure out antidiarrheal activity evaluation. Results: Phytochemical screening affirmed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids and tannins in the extract. LMCA contains marked amount of total phenol (3.89 ± 2.36 mg/g), total flavonoid (905.50 ± 2.12 mg/g) and total antioxidant (245.83 ± 2.36 mg/g). Remarkable cupric reducing power and ferric reducing power capability were observed. In DPPH radical scavenging assay, the extract showed moderate scavenging potential (IC 50 395.97 μg/ml), whereas IC 50 value of standard ascorbic acid was 32.75 μg /ml. The extract showed a significant result in cytotoxicity test. In disk diffusion antimicrobial assay LMCA manifested broad spectrum of activity. In acetic acid induced writhing test, the highest dose (1000 mg/kg) showed 57.69% inhibition of abdominal constrictions compared to Diclofenac Sodium (74.62%). In case of formalin induced analgesic activity test the extract exhibited preeminent effect (LMCA 1000 mg/kg showed 58.64% inhibition). The extract inhibited 86.36% xylene induced ear edema (at dose 1000 mg/kg) where Aspirin inhibited 88.81%. In carrageenan induced test LMCA 1000 mg/kg manifested eloquent inhibition of inflammation at 6th hour (50.59%). The highest dose 1000 mg/kg of LMCA showed significant (80.95%) reduction in diarrhea and noticeable reduction of intestinal fluid secretion (24.29%). Conclusion: To recapitulate, it is suggested that the leaf of Colocasia affinis Schott might be a potential source of useful bioactive molecules.
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