Comparative Analysis Of The Anti-Inflammatory Activity Of The Stem And Leaf Extracts Of Insulin Plant (Costus Pictus)

Abstract

The insulin plant (Costus pictus D. Don) has been traditionally recognized for its therapeutic potential, particularly in diabetes management. This study evaluated the anti-inflammatory activity of C. pictus extracts by comparing the efficacy of leaf and stem preparations using the protein denaturation assay. The extracts of the leaves and stems were tested at concentrations ranging from 50 to 1000 ppm, with ascorbic acid as the standard control. The test revealed that both plant parts demonstrated inhibition of protein denaturation in a dose-dependent manner, with leaf extracts showing higher activity (mean inhibition = 40.97%) than stem extracts (mean inhibition = 35.02%), though both were significantly lower than the control (50.89%). A paired t-test confirmed a significant difference between leaf and stem activity (p = 0.031). These findings suggest that C. pictus contains bioactive compounds with anti-inflammatory potential, with leaves demonstrating slightly stronger effects than stems. While the results support the ethnomedicinal use of C. pictus against inflammation, further phytochemical profiling and in vivo validation are recommended before clinical application.