Effects of Various Preextraction Treatments of Leaf on Its Anti-Inflammatory Activity and Chemical Properties.

Linn. has been used in Thai traditional medicine to relieve inflammatory symptoms and treat osteoarthritis. There have been reports on its potent anti-inflammatory property but nothing on the effects of different pretreatments on its chemical properties and anti-inflammatory activity. Pretreatment of herbal raw materials is an important step which affects the overall quality of Thai traditional medicine. The objectives of this study were to investigate different treatments of leaves prior to ethanolic extraction and to compare the extracts for their anti-inflammatory activity and chemical properties. The treatments included hot air drying in an oven, microwave drying, traditional grilling on a charcoal stove before drying in an oven, and temperature shock in hot and cold water before hot air drying. The anti-inflammatory activity and chemical properties of the extracts were analyzed using the established methods. Results showed that 95% ethanolic extract of hot air oven-dried leaves had the highest anti-inflammatory activity and total phenolic and lycorine contents. We recommend hot air drying as a preextraction treatment for leaves for its simplicity, best retention of the herbal quality, and suitability for scaling up to an industrial process.