Phytochemical Examination, Anti-Inflammatory, Anti-Diabetic and Anti-Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia of Acalypha Indica Stem Extract

Abstract

Acalypha indica is a common medicinal herb in Africa and Asian tradition with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-BPH properties. Ethyl acetate extract of Acalypha indica Linn. Stem bark, obtained via cold maceration, was evaluated for its phytochemical composition alongside its anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, and anti-benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) activities. Quantitative GC–FID profiling revealed notable quantities of alkaloids and steroids, including ephedrine (19.21 mg/g) and cortisol (10.06 mg/g), along with flavonoids such as rutin (0.64 mg/g) and quercetin (0.50 mg/g), and phenolics like resveratrol (1.43 mg/g). Biologically, the extract displayed concentration-dependent total antioxidant capacity (15% to 19.7% across 0–80 mg/mL) and potent membrane-stabilizing effects by inhibiting heat-induced hemolysis by 45% to 55%. In anti-diabetic evaluations, glucose adsorption ranged from 1.38 to 0.17 mM/g (0–80 mg/mL glucose), outperforming acarbose at 20 mg/mL despite showing variable behavior across concentration levels. Crucially, in testosterone-induced BPH rat models, the extract significantly suppressed key disease biomarkers: serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) dropped from 2.40 ± 0.64 ng/mL to near-normal levels of 1.07 ± 0.09 ng/mL, dihydrotestosterone (DHT) declined from 66.23 ± 11.03 ng/mL to 38.40 ± 4.33 ng/mL, and the 100 mg/kg dose markedly reduced prostate volume (0.06 ± 0.01 mL) and weight (0.190 ± 0.01 g) to levels comparable with the standard drug finasteride. Steady body weight gain over 14 days indicated strong in vivo tolerance, demonstrating that Acalypha indica stem extract possesses promising therapeutic potential for natural BPH management and justifies further toxicological and clinical investigation.