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Combretum nigricans is a known medicinal plant employed in Nigerian ethnomedicine for the treatment of pain, inflammation and other ailments. This study aims at evaluating the antioxidant, antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of C. nigricans ethanolic leaf extract. The antioxidant activity of C. nigricans ethanolic leaf extract was evaluated in vitro using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) model, while acetic acid writhing test and formalin nociception test were used in evaluating the antinociceptive activity in mice. Formalin-induced inflammation was used to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect in mice. HPLC analysis of the extract showed the presence of several compounds including ferulic acid. The extract exhibited good DPPH antioxidant activity. Its IC50 value was 0.0003971 mg/mL. Oral acute toxicity test showed the LD50 is greater than 2000 mg/kg. In the acetic acid test, all extract test doses (200 – 800 mg/kg) had significant inhibitory effect against abdominal writhes usually evoked by acetic acid. The different extract doses had antinociceptive effect against phases 1 and 2 pain. Also, the extract doses used for the study (200 – 800 mg/kg) had anti-allodynia effect with the 800 mg/kg dose having a better effect of 44.44 and 79.83 % on days 1 and 2 respectively. Furthermore, the extract demonstrated significant anti-inflammatory activity against formalin induced inflammation in the experimental animals. The study outcome shows that C. nigricans extract has good antioxidant, anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The antidiabetic activity of methanol leaves extract of Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. (Fabaceae) was studied in alloxan-diabetic and in oral glucose loaded rats. The acute toxicity and lethality (LD50) and the phytochemical analysis of the extract were also evaluated. The results showed that the extract (400 and 600 mg/kg) significantly (P<0.05) reduced fasting blood sugar of alloxan diabetic rats in a dose-related manner, with maximum hypoglycemic effect at 4 - 6 h. The extract (400 and 600 mg/kg) also significantly (P<0.05) suppressed the peak postprandial rise in blood glucose of normal rats by 101.8 and 57.40% respectively. Acute toxicity and lethality test of the extract in rats gave an oral LD50 greater than 5 g/kg. The findings indicate that the leaves of C. cajan may be beneficial as an antidiabetic therapy.