Comparative In-Vitro Evaluation of Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Clitoria Ternatea (Sangu Poo) and Jasminum Spp. (Jasmine) Flower Extracts
Keywords:
Clitoria ternatea; Jasminum; antioxidant; anti-inflammatory; DPPH; HRBC membrane stabilization; medicinal flowers.Abstract
Background:
Oxidative stress and inflammation are interrelated processes implicated in the pathogenesis of multiple chronic disorders. Medicinal flowers represent promising natural sources of bioactive phytochemicals with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential. Clitoria ternatea (Sangu poo) and Jasminum species (Jasmine) are traditionally used for inflammatory and systemic conditions; however, direct comparative pharmacological evaluation using standardized in-vitro models remains limited.
Objective:
To comparatively evaluate the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of methanolic flower extracts of Clitoria ternatea and Jasminum species using established in-vitro assay systems.
Methods:
Methanolic extracts of authenticated flowers were assessed for antioxidant activity by DPPH radical scavenging and ferric-reducing (reducing power) assays, and for anti-inflammatory activity by inhibition of bovine serum albumin (BSA) denaturation and human red blood cell (HRBC) membrane stabilization. Percentage inhibition, absorbance changes, and IC₅₀ values were determined from concentration–response relationships.
Results:
Clitoria ternatea demonstrated markedly stronger antioxidant activity, with a DPPH IC₅₀ of 143.85 µg/mL compared with 660.34 µg/mL for Jasminum, and higher reducing power across concentrations. In the BSA denaturation assay, Jasminum showed slightly greater inhibition (IC₅₀ = 842.64 µg/mL) than C. ternatea (IC₅₀ = 929.19 µg/mL). Conversely, HRBC membrane stabilization was higher for C. ternatea (96.96 % at 1000 µg/mL), approaching the diclofenac standard and exceeding Jasminum (90.94 %).
Conclusion:
Clitoria ternatea exhibits superior antioxidant and membrane-stabilizing anti-inflammatory activity, whereas Jasminum shows comparatively stronger inhibition of protein denaturation, indicating distinct yet complementary mechanisms of action. These findings support medicinal flowers as valuable natural sources of bioactive compounds and highlight the need for further phytochemical, mechanistic, and in-vivo investigations to establish clinical relevance.
