Abstract:
Background: Starch is a naturally occurring polysaccharide derived from different sources such
as rice, potatoes, and corn, and is widely used as an excipient in the pharmaceutical industry.
Several research have been conducted with different natural starches as tablet excipients.
Objective: To determine the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant potency of alkali and methanolic
extract of selected starch varieties in Sri Lanka compared to maize starch BP
Methods: Two traditional rice varieties (Oryza sativa L), Pachchaperumal and Sudu heenati (in
Sinhala) and Sri Lankan Potato (Solanum tuberosum L) were selected. Starch extracts were
prepared by immersing them in aqueous sodium hydroxide (0.2%) and methanol (80%) solutions
for 24 hours, followed by milling, filtration (150 µm sieve size), decantation, centrifugation (6000
rpm) and drying to 50ºC. In vitro anti-inflammatory potency of these extractions was assessed by
the egg albumin denaturation assay using diclofenac sodium as positive control. In vitro anti
oxidant activity was assessed by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging
assay using ascorbic acid as the positive control.
Results: Alkali and methanolic starch extractions exhibited significant egg albumin denaturation
potency with IC50 values of 11.62 mg/mL and 26.03 mg/mL for Pachchaperumal (p=0.01 and
p=0.02), 35.48 and 93.75 mg/mL for Sudu heenati (p=0.04 and p=0.01), 95.58 mg/mL and 18.62
mg/mL for S. tuberosum (p=0.04 and p=0.01), respectively compared to the commercially
available maize starch BP. IC50 values of diclofenac sodium was 0.907 mg/mL. Alkali and
methanolic extracts demonstrated significant anti-oxidant potency with IC50 values of 9.07 mg/mL
and 7.83 mg/mL for Pachchaperumal (p=0.02 and p=0.04), 8.63 mg/mL and 5.17 mg/mL for
Sudu heenati (p=0.02 and p=0.02), 16.54 and 7.94 mg/mL for S. tuberosum (p=0.03 and p=0.03),
respectively compared to commercially available maize starch BP and IC50 values obtained for
ascorbic was 0.133 mg/mL.
Conclusion: The alkali and methanolic starch extractions of Sudu heenati and Pachchaperumal
and S. tuberosum L have anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant potency compared with maize starch
BP.
