Total alkaloids and anti-inflammatory activity of Glaucium grandiflorum wildly grown in Syria: A study on formalin induced paw edema in rats

Glaucium grandiflorum, a perennial herb belonging to the Papaveraceae family, exhibits significant biological activities. This study aims to quantitatively determine the alkaloid content in various plant parts and evaluate the anti- inflammatory activity of its hydroethanolic extract from aerial parts during the flowering stage in rats.The total alkaloid content was determined through alkaloid precipitation at pH=10 using concentrated ammonium hydroxide, followed by weighing. The anti-inflammatory activity was assessed by injecting 0.1 mL of 2.5% formalin into the right hind paw to induce acute inflammation. Quantitative analysis revealed the presence of alkaloids in all tested plant parts. The highest alkaloid content was found in fruits (5.07%), followed by aerial parts in the fruiting stage (3.21%) and aerial parts in the flowering stage (1.41%), with the lowest content in the roots (0.66%). The extract exhibited significant inhibition of paw edema (P < 0.05). Both oral and intraperitoneal administration of 200 and 400 mg/kg of the extract reduced edema formation, indicating that G. grandiflorum possesses anti-inflammatory activity. The maximum anti-inflammatory activity was observed at a dose of 400 mg/kg (95.42%), surpassing indomethacin at 10 mg/kg (89.77%) on oral administration. Our study suggests that the hydroethanolic extract of flowering aerial parts is likely safe in rats up to a dose of 2000 mg/kg and possesses anti-inflammatory activity when administered orally or intraperitoneally. In conclusion, the hydroethanolic extract of G. grandiflorum may be a valuable resource for managing disorders associated with inflammation as an anti-inflammatory agent. This activity is likely attributed to the presence of alkaloids, phenols, flavonoids, and saponins.