Antioxidant potential, anti-inflammatory activity, antidiabetic and cardioprotective effect of Microsechium helleri(Peyr.) Cong.

Microsechium helleri(Cucurbitaceae) has been used in ethnopharmacological as a lotion to prevent hair loss, diuretic and cathartic, in the region of central Veracruz, Mexico is used as antidiabetic. The antioxidant properties of the hexanic (EHex), chloroformic (ECHCl3) and ethanolic (EEtOH) extracts, were evaluated by 2,2diphenyl-1-pychrylhydrazyl (DPPH) test, the Ferric Reducing/Antioxidant Power (FRAP) and the total phenolic content test. The anti-inflammatory effect was evaluated in the acute ear edema induced with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (TPA) in mouse and the hypoglycemic and cardioprotective effects of the EEtOH were determined in rats. The EEtOH was the most active in the antioxidant potential DPPH test and the ECHCl3was the best in the FRAP assay and the total polyphenols content. In the anti-inflammatory assay, the ECHCl3showed the most activity. The EEtOH had the decreased the glucose levels and reduced myocardial damage. The results support the use of this plant in folk medicine in Mexico as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic and cardioprotective.