Ethnobotanical and comparative study of the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential of three organs of Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides, a plant used in the traditional treatment of sickle-cell disease in Bamako

The literature reports that the sickle cell patients frequently use plants to manage their recurrent attacks. The aim of the present study was to contribute to a better understanding of the medicinal plants used in the management of that disease. An ethnobotanical survey was conducted in and around Bamako. The most frequently cited species was selected: Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides Lam. Zepernick. & Timler, and the in vitro antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential of their leaf, fruit and root extracts were assessed. A total of 39 people were surveyed, including 21 herbalists, 6 traditional health practitioners and 12 sickle-cell patients. Analysis of the survey forms revealed 19 plant species belonging to 16 families, including Z. zanthoxyloides, which had the highest frequency of citation (20.51%). The phytochemical screening of this species revealed the presence of alkaloids, phenolic compounds (flavonoids, tannins, coumarins), saponins and terpenes. The hydroethanolic extracts of Z. zanthoxyloides fruits showed the best DPPH free radical scavenging activity with an inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 20.80±0.11 µg/mL followed by hydroethanolic extracts of bark with IC50=22.9±0.14 µg/mL. In the phosphomolybdate test, the aqueous fruit extracts with a value of 537.70±0.05 mg AAE/100g exhibited the highest antioxidant potential. At a concentration of 1 mg/mL extracts, the aqueous fruit extracts demonstrated the most effective protein denaturation rates (92.66±0.66%) followed by the ethanolic root extracts (92.95±1.10%). This study showed that the fruits exhibit the highest promising anti-free radical and anti-inflammatory potential.