Phytochemical Study and Evaluation of The Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Some Medicinal Plants Growing in Egypt

The anti-inflammatory activity of different extracts of five plants abundantly growing in Egypt, namely Ipomoea palmata Forsk. (Convolvulaceae), Alstonia scholaris R.Br. (Apocynaceae), Salix subserrata Willd., Salix tetrasperma Roxb. and Populus nigra Linn. (Salicaceae) has been studied. Phytochemical study on selected bioactive extracts was carried out as well as their possible mechanism of action. The results revealed a significant anti-inflammatory activity of the extracts under investigation to different degrees. A chromatographic study of the bioactive lipoidal extracts of A. scholaris and I. palmata was carried out and the results revealed the presence of unsaturated fatty acids (linoleic and linolenic). Beta-sitosterol and campesterol were present in A. scholaris and I. palmata, respectively. Chromatographic and spectral investigation of the flavonoids in the bioactive aqueous extract of I. palmata revealed the presence of luteolin, quercetin 7-glycoside and apigenin. The anti-inflammatory activity may be due to the presence of these phytochemical constituents.