Phytochemical analysis and evaluation of the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of Canavalia gladiata

The present study was done to determine whether scimitar bean or sword bean (Canavalia gladiata) seeds that had been stored for a year contained any proximate phytochemical equivalents and to assess their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In order of increasing polarity, hexane, ethyl acetate, and methanol were employed to extract phytochemicals from sword bean seeds. Hexane, ethyl acetate, and methanol extract each had a phytochemical yield of 0.23%, 0.26%, and 1.46%, respectively. Quantitative analysis of the extracts revealed that methanol extract had the highest levels of total polyphenolic contents (TPC) (17.74±1.929mg of gallic acid equivalents/g DM) and total tannin contents (TTC) (49.94±1.94mg of tannic acid equivalents/g DM), while hexane extract had the highest levels of total flavonoid contents (TFC) (9.06±1.197mg of quercetin equivalents/g DM). In C. gladiata seed extracts, tannins made up the majority of all phytochemicals. The solvent extract from C. gladiata seeds also showed strong antioxidant activity as measured by the total antioxidant and DPPH assays. Based on the inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) value of the DPPH assay, the ethyl acetate extract was shown to be the most effective antioxidant of all extracts (12.68±0.027μg/ml). Anti-inflammatory properties of extracts were evaluated by the egg albumin denaturation method, heat-induced and hypo-tonicityinduced HRBC membrane stabilization methods. The results of the heat-induced HRBC membrane stabilization method with an IC₅₀ of 613.39±0.975 μg/ml and hypo-tonicity induced HRBC membrane stabilization method with an IC₅₀ of 185.91±11.008 μg/ml revealed that ethyl acetate extract has significantly higher anti-inflammatory activity whereas methanol extract has shown higher anti-inflammatory activity as per egg albumin denaturation method with an IC₅₀ of 636±3.51μg/ml. Results showed that C. gladiata seed contains varying levels of phytochemical equivalents and indicate that the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential varied significantly and have a potential comparable to the standard drugs, ascorbic acid and Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT). Hence, C. gladiata seeds that have been stored for a year could be a good source of phytochemicalsand they can be used in pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and other formulations.