Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant and Cytotoxicity Studies on Lycopodiella cernua (L.) J. Sm. in Bukidnon, Philippines

Abstract

Introduction: Lycopodiella cernua is a widely distributed species recognized for several uses in traditional medicine. Although relatively common in the wild, relevant pharmacological data on Philippine L. cernua population seems scanty despite its use in traditional medicine among some of the country's tribal groups. Objectives: The study aims to validate the medicinal potential as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant to strengthen traditional claims of L. cernua. Materials and Methods: Crude methanolic extraction was done for aerial and ground parts of Lycopodiella cernua. The extracts were measured for total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) with Folin-Ciocalteu and aluminum chloride methods, respectively. Antioxidant activity was also determined based on DPPH radical scavenging activity relative to ascorbic acid. Antiinflammatory activity was detected by enzyme cyclooxygenase (COX-2 and COX-1) inhibition assays. Moreover, cytotoxicity tests of extracts against neonatal human epidermal keratinocytes (HEKn) and lung adenocarcinoma (A549) cell line were done using MTT assays. Results and Discussion: Phenolics (aerial: 33.04 ± 2.82 mg GAE/g; ground: 4.91 ± 0.1 mg GAE/g) and flavonoids contents (aerial: 11.46 ± 7.19 µg QE/g; ground: 5.82 ± 5.09 µg QE/g) were relatively low. DPPH radical scavenging activity was also relatively low (aerial: 19.13 ± 0.88 %; ground: 12.21 ± 0.9 %). However, COX-2 inhibition activity of the ground parts was 74.78 ± 18.61%. Moreover, the COX-2: COX-1 ratio of 1.29 of the aerial parts suggests selectivity for COX-2. Both extracts were found nontoxic against HEKn normal cell lines and A549 cancer cell lines. Conclusion: L. cernua is nontoxic and has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities.