Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory Efficacy and HPLC Analysis of <i>Annona muricata</i>Leaves Extracts from Republic of Benin

Annona muricata L. (Soursop or Graviola) is a naturally occurring plant seen in Southern part of Africa, traditionally used in Benin to treat various diseases. The present study aimed to investigate phytochemical composition and antioxidant, anti-inflammatory activities of A. muricata leaves extracts. The secondary metabolites of ethanolic and hemi-ethanolic extracts were analysed by HPLC method. The DPPH and FRAP methods were used to evaluate the antioxidant activity. Inhibition of albumin denaturation method was used to evaluate anti-inflammatory activity of the tested extracts of which larval cytotoxicity was studied. The major identified compounds were gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, cafeic acid, tannic acid, ferrulic acid, Rutin. Ascorbic acid exhibited the highest inhibition percentage (83.33% ± 0.50%) of DPPH radical with the lowest IC50 (45.1 ± 0.28 μg/ml). The inhibition of the ferric ion Fe3+ varied (p = 0.0013) according to the extracts type. IC50 values of ferric ion inhibition range from 119.5 ± 3.10 to 250.8 ± 2.13 μg/ml respectively for A. muricata leaves ethanol and hemi-ethanolic extracts. The hemi-ethanolic extract exhibited the highest anti-inflammatory activity (96.66% ± 1.17%). The presence of phenolic compound confers to A. muricata leaves, through the ethanolic and the hemi-ethanolic extracts, the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.