Total nutritional capacity and inflammation inhibition effect of Acalypha alnifolia Klein ex wildd-An unexplored wild leafy vegetable

Revathi Ponnusamy, Parimelazhagan Thangaraj*
Department of Botany, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India

a b s t r a c t
Investigation of the nutritional as well as trace elements of a wild leafy vegetable, Acalypha alnifolia, and evaluation of the analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic properties of acetone and methanol leaf extracts are the main objectives of the present study. The powdered A. alnifolia leaf sample was subjected to nutritional and mineral analysis. Plant leaves were extracted (using the Soxhlet apparatus) as successive solvent extractions. The extract doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg of acetone and methanol extracts were used for pharmacology study. The analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic experiments were carried out by using animal models. The obtained result proves that the plant possesses essential nutritive values and useful biological properties. The higher dose of acetone extract has significant potency when compared with methanol extract at p < 0.005. On the whole, the plant is rich in minerals and has good biological properties; hence, this plant is suggested for cultivation and regular use for nutritional supplement.

Keywords:
Acalypha alnifolia
Anti-inflammatory property
Leafy vegetable
Minerals
Nutrition