Evaluation of Antioxidant and Anticoagulation Activity of Piper chaba Hunter Stem

Background: Piper chaba Hunter, a flowering vine of the Piperaceae family, has long been used in South Asian countries for culinary purposes and traditionally in fat-rich meat preparation. The curative potential of this herb is of great interest to be studied. Objectives: The antioxidant and anticoagulation potential, as well as total phenolic and flavonoid content, were evaluated using cold and boiled water extract separately from the dried and ground stem. Methods: Antioxidant potential was evaluated by ۲, ۲-diphenyl-۱-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assay and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. The anticoagulation activity was evaluated by serine protease inhibition assay and prothrombin time (PT) assay. Folin–Ciocalteu (FC) reagent and aluminum complex (AlCl۳) were used to assess total phenolic content and total flavonoid content, respectively. Results: DPPH scavenging assay revealed the IC۵۰ value of ۱۲۵.۵۲ µg.mL-۱ and ۱۵۷.۹۴ µg.mL-۱ for boiled and cold water extract, respectively. Potent ferric reducing potential (FRAP) was observed as ۱۴۲.۸۷ µM and ۱۳۵.۳۷ µM of ferrous equivalent per ۱۰۰ µg for boiled and cold water extract, respectively. The IC۵۰ value of serine protease inhibitory activity was found as ۱۸۲ µg.mL-۱ and ۱۶۱.۱۲ µg.mL-۱ for cold and boiled water extract, respectively. The PT time was ۲۷.۰۰ min for boiled water extract and ۲۴.۶۸ min for cold water extract. Significant phenolic and flavonoid content was also found in the test sample. Conclusion: P. chaba stem extract possesses potent antioxidant and anticoagulation activity, which can neutralize oxidative free radicals and have a vasodilation effect in oxidative and inflammatory diseases.