Verma_2025_Fitoterapia_186_106842

Traditional medicine has long relied on plant-derived compounds, particularly flavonoids, for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties. Clerodendrum infortunatum, an ethnomedicinally important plant, is rich in bioactive compounds and has shown hepatoprotective and antioxidant effects. The present study evaluated the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and nootropic potential of flavonoid-rich extracts from the leaves (CILM) and roots (CIRM) of this plant. Methanolic extracts were subjected to phytochemical screening, determination of total phenolic and flavonoid contents, and in-vitro assays for antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. The nootropic potential was assessed in scopolamine-induced amnesic rats using behavioral paradigms, biochemical markers of oxidative stress, and histopathological examination. Both extracts contained flavonoids, phenols, and related metabolites, with CILM showing higher phenolic (62.39 +/- 1.25 mg GAE/g) and flavonoid (42.58 +/- 2.05 mg QE/g) contents than CIRM. Antioxidant assays demonstrated dose-dependent radical scavenging activity, with CILM exhibiting greater potency (IC50 = 66.44 microg/mL). In-vitro anti-inflammatory testing revealed significant erythrocyte membrane stabilization, particularly with CILM (89.71 % protection at 400 microg/mL). Behavioral studies indicated that CILM (400 mg/kg) improved spatial memory and recognition performance comparable to Piracetam. Biochemical analysis confirmed reduced lipid peroxidation and inhibition of acetylcholinesterase activity, with CILM again showing superior efficacy. Histological evaluation supported these findings by demonstrating reduced neuronal degeneration and gliosis. Overall, methanolic extracts of C. infortunatum, especially from the leaves, displayed potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and nootropic effects, highlighting their therapeutic potential for managing oxidative stress and cognitive impairments associated with neurodegenerative disorders.