Author(s)

Nadege Kabamba Ngombe¹, Claude Ngolo Ngolo¹, Didi Mana Kialengila², Arvy Luzayana Wamba¹, Patricia Mbombo Mungisthi¹, Pascal Tshisekedi Tshibangu¹, Pascal Kalenda T. Dibungi¹, Paul Tshilumbu Kantola³, Paulin Mutwale Kapepula^1*

¹Centre d’Etudes des Substances Naturelles d’Origine Végétale (CESNOV), Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
²Laboratory of Drug Analysis, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
³Laboratory of Experimental and Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

Cassia occidentalis L. is widely used in the world in traditional medicine and especially in some African countries for the treatment of various diseases. The aim of this study was to report the microscopic features, the chromatographic fingerprints and the cellular antioxidant activity and the peroxidase inhibition of infusions from different parts of this plant. Microscopically, leaf can be characterized by cells of the spongy mesophyll and parenchyma numerous cluster crystals of calcium oxalate, paracytic stomata, isolated calcium oxalate cluster crystals, covering and glandular trichomes, scalariform vessels, polyedric starch granules, lignified fibers; flowers by abundant covering and glandular trichomes, spirally thickened vessels and associated parenchyma, abundant pollen grains. Seeds were characterized by pluricellular non-glandular trichomes, epidermis of the testa with underlying oil cells, parenchymatous layers of the testa, thicker-walled cells of the endosperm, pollen grain. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of phenolic acids, flavonoids, iridoids, tannins and terpenes. TLC fingerprints of different parts were different and characteristic. They showed the presence of glycosylated flavonoids and phenolic acids as main phytochemicals for flowers, leaves and seedpods. ABTS and DPPH assays showed that infusion extracts have the ability to scavenge free radicals connected with their IC₅₀ values ranging from 21.43 ± 1.25 to 566.24 ± 176.7 mg·mL^-1. All extracts showed a weaker capacity to scavenge DPPH radical. Aqueous extracts displayed high cellular antioxidant activity at the concentrations range of 1 - 20 μg·mL^-1 using LO-12 on monocytes HL 60. Flower and leave extracts showed more efficient effects on extracellular ROS production. Phenolic compounds could be major contributors to antioxidant activity of infusions of Cassia parts. In MPO (Myeloperoxidase) direct technique, all infusion extracts exhibited a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on MPO activity in the range concentrations of 1 to 20 μg·mL^-1 with the leaves and flowers the most active. Obtained results support the potential therapeutic interest of all aerial parts of Cassia and could justify their use in traditional medicine and local nutraceutical resources.

Cassia occidentalis, HRP, Manalaria, Monocytes HL 60, MPO, Nutraceutical

Ngombe, N. , Ngolo, C. , Kialengila, D. , Wamba, A. , Mungisthi, P. , Tshibangu, P. , Dibungi, P. , Kantola, P. and Kapepula, P. (2019) Cellular Antioxidant Activity and Peroxidase Inhibition of Infusions from Different Aerial Parts of Cassia occidentalis. Journal of Biosciences and Medicines, 7, 83-94. doi: 10.4236/jbm.2019.74009.