EVALUATION OF ANTI-INFLAMMATORY AND ANTI-ULCEROGENIC POTENTIAL OF METHANOLIC LEAF EXTRACT OF BITTER KOLA (GARCINIA KOLA) BY IN-VITRO METHOD

ABSTRACT Bitter kola (Garcinia kola), commonly found in subtropical and tropical forests in West and Central Africa is important in African ethno-medicine for the treatment of asthma, diabetes, cancer, ulcer, infectious diseases, and inflammatory conditions. The present assessed the phytochemical composition, anti-inflammatory and anti-ulcerogenic activities of the methanol leaf extract of bitter kola. The in-vitro anti-inflammatory activity of the methanol leaf extract of bitter kola were studied by anti-proteinase, anti-denaturant, membrane stabilization, and heat-induced hemolysis assays. Diclofenac sodium was used as standard drug. The anti-ulcerogenic activity of methanol leaf extract of bitter kola was evaluated using H+, K+-ATPase Inhibition assay. The phytochemical screening of the methanol leaf extract of bitter kola revealed the presence of saponins, flavonoids, tannins, glycosides, terpenoid, steroids and alkaloids. The percentage of protein denaturation, membrane stabilization, proteinase inhibition and heat-induced hemolysis for methanol leaf extract of bitter kola were done at different concentrations (7.813, 15.625, 31.250, 62.500, 125, 250, 500, 1000 μg/ml). The maximum inhibition of protein denaturation, membrane stabilization, proteinase inhibition and heat-induced hemolysis of methanol leaf extract of bitter kola was found to be 89.54 ± 0.13 %, 86.90 ± 0.12 %, 89.84 ± 1.03 % and 58.38 ± 0.88 % at dose of 1000 μg/ml respectively. At a concentration of 1000 μg/ml, methanol leaf extract of bitter kola and omeprazole showed 80.27 ± 0.16 % and 89.95 ± 0.14 % of H+, K+-ATPase inhibition respectively. The methanol leaf extract of bitter kola and Diclofenac sodium showed potent hemolysis, protein denaturation, proteinase and membrane stabilizing. The methanol leaf extract of bitter kola also showed H+, K+-ATPase inhibition properties; hence, they may be used as potential anti-inflammatory drugs and antiulcerogens. Further studies on the isolation and characterization of the plant extract as well as in vivo assays will be necessary in discovering new biological anti-inflammatory and anti-ulcer drug.