Anti-Inflammatory, Cyclooxygenase Inhibitory, and Antioxidant Activities of Standardized Extracts of Tridax Procumbens L.

In 2011, researchers found that standardized extracts from Tridax procumbens L. demonstrated significant anti-inflammatory, cyclooxygenase inhibitory, and antioxidant activities. The study utilized an in vivo rat paw edema model and in vitro COX-1 and COX-2 inhibition assays to evaluate the effects of ethyl acetate, methanol, and 70% ethanol extracts at a dose of 200 mg/kg. The ethyl acetate extract was the most effective, showing the highest inhibition of COX-1 and COX-2 at 50 µg/mL and significant rat paw edema reduction. Three compounds—centaurein, centaureidin, and bergenin—were identified as the active principles responsible for COX inhibition, with bergenin being the most potent. The study supported the traditional use of T. procumbens in treating inflammatory conditions, attributing its efficacy to flavonoids and other polyphenols.