Phytochemical screening, antioxidant capacity, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities of ethanolic extract of Cordia senegalensis leaves, a plant used in Benin to treat skin diseases

Abstract

Natural substances extracted from the vegetal biomass have multiple benefits exploited in industrial biotechnology of food, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals as well. The present study reports the phytochemical analysis and antibacterial activity of leaves which are widely used in traditional medicine to treat skin diseases. Secondary metabolites were identified by coloration and precipitation reactions specific to each family of metabolites. The determination of total phenolic compounds was made by Folin-Ciocalteu reagent. The aluminum trichloride method has been used to quantify total flavonoids, while the determination of condensed tannins was carried out by the hydrochloric vanillin method. The antioxidant capacity of ethanolic extract of Cordia senegalensis leaves was evaluated by the DPPH, ABTS and phosphomolybdenum method. The antibacterial activity was evaluated in microplates and in Petri dishes. According to the results obtained, the leaves of Cordia senegalensis contain flavonoids, anthocyanins, leuco-anthocyanins, mucilages, terpenes and sterols. The contents of total phenolic (53.81±0.84) μgGAE/mgDM, total flavonoids (12.81±0.01)μgQE/mgDM and condensed tannins (1.463±0.375) μgCE/mg DM are very interesting. The results obtained during this work allowed us to assert that all extracts of the studied plant have very good antioxidant properties. The ethanolic and hydroethanolic extracts of Cordia senegalensis inhibited only the strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis at a concentration of 10mg/mL with an interesting anti-inflammatory activity (91.390±0.011)% more than aspirin (38.450±0.120)%. The ethanolic extract of Cordia senegalensis could be used to fight against free radical attacks on the skin, to treat skin conditions and for the preservation of perishable food products