In vivo anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective activities of Orobanche crenata (Forssk.) aerial parts in relation to its phytomolecules.

A total methanolic extract and its sub-extracts of Orobanche crenata (Forssk.) aerial parts were subjected to acute toxicity, anti-inflammatory, and hepatoprotective investigations. The methanolic extract was safe upto 3 g/kg on mice. The EtOAc fraction reduced the carrageenan-induced rat paw edema better than indomethacin. It also demonstrated a drop in the elevated ALT, AST, and TB at 300 mg/kg, better than silymarin. Histopathological examination of liver cells of rats given the EtOAc fraction showed a complete absence of the CCl ₄ -induced cloudy swelling. A phytochemical investigation of the n -hexane and EtOAc fractions yielded 11 compounds [indole-3-carboxylic acid ( 1 ), n -butyl palmitate ( 2 ), tyrosol ( 3 ), L-rhamnonic acid-1,4-lactone ( 4 ), β -sitosterol/stigmasterol mixture ( 5/5' ), β -sitosterol/stigmasterol glycosides mixture ( 6/6 '), chrysoeriol ( 7 ), luteolin ( 8 ), apigenin ( 9 ), crenatoside ( 10 ), and verbascoside ( 11 )] as identified by UV, 1D & 2D NMR and ESIMS techniques. Their reported biological actions were in relation to and supported our herein detected pharmacological findings.