International Journal of Biochemistry Research & Review

Hepatoprotective Potential of Glycyrrhizin: A Critical Evaluation of Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-fibrotic Evidence

Manoj Todkar, Suresh Waghamare — Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Glycyrrhizin, a triterpenoid saponin obtained principally from liquorice species such as Glycyrrhiza glabra and Glycyrrhiza uralensis, has a long history of pharmacological use in liver disorders, yet the evidential basis for its hepatoprotective reputation is unusually heterogeneous. This critical narrative review evaluates glycyrrhizin, its principal metabolite glycyrrhetinic acid, and clinically used glycyrrhizin preparations through three mechanistically connected domains: antioxidant and redox-modulating activity, control of sterile and immune-mediated inflammation, and attenuation of fibrogenesis. Literature published from 1980 to 4 August 2026 was selected from major biomedical and multidisciplinary scholarly sources, supplemented by citation searching and verification of bibliographic metadata and digital object identifiers. Across toxic, ischaemia-reperfusion, immune-mediated, metabolic and cholestatic models, glycyrrhizin repeatedly reduces aminotransferase release, lipid peroxidation and inflammatory signalling, with recurrent involvement of high-mobility group box 1, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2/heme oxygenase-1 signalling, inflammasome-related pathways and macrophage responses. Anti-fibrotic evidence is biologically plausible but more conditional: glycyrrhetinic acid can suppress transforming growth factor-β/Smad-dependent collagen transcription and, in activated stellate cells, can also induce pro-apoptotic oxidative stress, demonstrating that redox effects are cell-state dependent rather than uniformly antioxidant. Human evidence is strongest for improvement of biochemical liver-injury markers with selected injectable glycyrrhizin derivatives and preparations; evidence for durable histological benefit, prevention of cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, transplantation or mortality remains substantially weaker. Interpretation is further complicated by oral conversion of glycyrrhizin to glycyrrhetinic acid, formulation-specific pharmacology, high preventive doses in animal studies and pseudoaldosteronism mediated by glycyrrhetinic-acid metabolites. Glycyrrhizin therefore represents a mechanistically credible hepatoprotective scaffold, but clinical translation requires formulation-specific exposure data, modern comparator-controlled trials and outcomes that extend beyond aminotransferase normalisation.

Infant Flours Based on Local Food Resources: Nutritional Quality, Nutrient Bioavailability, Food Safety, and Potential for Preventing Child Malnutrition in Togo: A Critical Review

Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Locally produced complementary flours offer a potentially affordable means of improving dietary quality during the transition from exclusive breastfeeding to family foods in Togo. Their nutritional and public-health value nevertheless depends on considerably more than the proximate composition of dry flour. This critical narrative review examines the evidence for locally relevant cereal–legume and nutrient-enriched formulations, focusing on nutritional quality, the bioavailability of limiting micronutrients, processing effects, food safety and the plausibility of preventing child malnutrition. Peer-reviewed studies addressing Togo were interpreted alongside evidence from neighbouring West African settings, food-science experiments, intervention trials and authoritative complementary-feeding guidance. The strongest Togolese formulation evidence consists of laboratory composition analyses and small-scale acceptability research; direct evidence linking specific locally produced flours to improved growth, iron status or sustained dietary adequacy remains insufficient. Cereal–legume blending may increase protein and energy supplied by a recipe, but high phytate concentrations, variation in porridge dilution and weak coverage of vitamin B12 and readily absorbed iron can undermine nutritional claims. Germination, fermentation and thermal processing have potentially complementary benefits, although their effects depend on processing conditions and must not be equated with demonstrated absorption or clinical efficacy. Aflatoxin exposure in maize- and groundnut-based diets, together with contamination after reconstitution, makes safety assurance integral rather than supplementary to formulation. Controlled trials of fortified complementary foods support improvements in selected haematological outcomes, but growth effects are less consistent and cannot be attributed to unfortified local flours by analogy. A practical evidence framework is advanced that connects ingredient selection, verified composition, nutrient bioavailability, safe processing, actual child intake and developmental outcomes. Local flours are best understood as one conditional component of diverse, breastmilk-complementing diets and integrated nutrition programmes, not as a stand-alone intervention against stunting or wasting.

Snake Venom Components as Therapeutic Leads: A Critical Narrative Review of Established Medicines and Translational Barriers

Uzuazokaro Mark-Maria Agatemor — Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background: Snake venoms contain biologically active molecules that interact with enzymes, adhesion receptors and ion channels. These interactions have informed drug development, although toxicity and poor translation constrain many proposed applications.

Objective: To critically examine the therapeutic relevance of snake venom components, distinguish demonstrated clinical utility from experimental activity, and identify requirements for further development.

Approach: Targeted web searches of PubMed-indexed records and original publisher pages were conducted on 13 September 2026. Foundational discovery studies, randomised trials and selected mechanistic investigations were prioritised. Public prescribing information was consulted for established medicines. Evidence was organised by mechanism and experimental setting without meta-analysis or formal certainty grading.

Findings: Bradykinin-potentiating peptides and disintegrins informed the development of captopril, eptifibatide and tirofiban. Their translation depended on molecular redesign and clinical evaluation rather than administration of crude venom. Defibrinogenating and fibrinolytic candidates illustrate less successful pathways: ancrod produced inconsistent stroke outcomes, and alfimeprase did not improve the principal clinical endpoint in placebo-controlled peripheral arterial occlusion studies. Textilinin-1, anticancer disintegrins, antimicrobial enzymes and mambalgins provide mechanistic leads. However, normal-cell toxicity, problematic cancer models and differences between rodent and human ion-channel pharmacology limit extrapolation.

Conclusion: Snake venom is a productive source of pharmacological templates. Future progress requires defined molecular products, human-relevant target validation, exposure-linked safety assessment and clinically meaningful comparators. Claims of therapeutic benefit should reflect the level of evidence for each individual molecule.

Anticancer Potential of Amphibian Gut-Derived Ewingella americana: A Critical Appraisal of Mechanisms, Preclinical Evidence and Translational Prospects

Bhuneshwar Behra, Varsha Behra — Fri, 06 Nov 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Bacterial cancer therapy has re-entered mainstream oncology through engineered Salmonella, Clostridium and Escherichia coli platforms, yet clinical returns have remained modest and dominated by toxicity. Against this background, a recent preclinical report describing complete tumour regression in every treated animal after a single intravenous dose of Ewingella americana isolated from the gut of the Japanese tree frog Dryophytes japonicus represents an unusually strong efficacy claim from an unusually unexamined source. This review provides the first independent critical appraisal of that claim. It defines the state of evidence for amphibian gut-derived bacterial therapeutics, evaluates the internal and external validity of the supporting experiments, tests the proposed dual cytotoxic and immunomodulatory mechanism against the wider literature on tumour-targeting bacteria, and assesses translational feasibility. Literature was identified through structured searching of biomedical, multidisciplinary and discipline-specific scholarly sources, supplemented by backward and forward citation tracking and by authoritative nomenclature and genomic resources. The synthesis indicates that the efficacy signal rests on a single laboratory, a single subcutaneous syngeneic colorectal model, small group sizes and a vehicle-mismatched control, and that the therapeutic isolate was identified by partial ribosomal gene sequencing while its virulence repertoire was inferred from a reference type strain rather than sequenced directly. The characterisation of the organism as naturally non-pathogenic is difficult to reconcile with a documented record of human bacteraemia, meningitis, peritonitis and sepsis, with phytopathogenic activity in cultivated mushrooms, and with its formal biological risk classification. Mechanistic attribution to hypoxia-driven colonisation and pattern-recognition-receptor-mediated innate activation remains plausible but underdetermined, and the reported neutrophil dependence conflicts with evidence from an established anaerobic platform. Interspecies differences in endotoxin sensitivity, a therapeutic window in which the effective dose coincides with the maximum tolerated dose, and unresolved strain-characterisation and access-and-benefit-sharing obligations together constitute substantial barriers. The discovery is best regarded as a hypothesis-generating proof of concept requiring independent replication before translational claims are advanced.

Methanol Extracts of Helianthus annuus and Bambusa vulgaris Leaves Exert Herbicidal Effects on Two Selected Weeds in vitro

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Weed control using synthetic herbicides often poses adverse consequences for the environment and human health. The integration of bioherbicides into weed management strategies has recently been introduced as an alternative. Helianthus annuus and Bambusa vulgaris have been reported to exhibit allelopathic effects on other plants. This study elucidated the phytochemicals in the methanol leaf extracts of H. annuus and B. vulgaris and evaluated their in vitro herbicidal effects on two weeds. Helianthus annuus leaf methanol extract (HALME) and Bambusa vulgaris leaf methanol extract (BVLME) were subjected to Gas Chromatography-Flame Ionization Detection (GC-FID) and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) for compound analysis. The in vitro effects of HALME and BVLME were tested on the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, glutathione-S-transferase (GST), acetolactate synthase (ALS), thioesterase and Photosystems I and II in fresh leaf extracts of Tridax procumbens and Alternanthera sessilis weeds. The GC-FID identified Cinnamic Acid, Heliannone A, Kukukanin B, Paniculoside A, Helikauranoside A and Niranthin in HALME, and p-Coumaric acid, Iso-orientin, Luteolin, and 8-C-Glycosylapigenin in BVLME. The HPLC measured Heliannone A, Kukukanin B, Paniculoside A and Helikauranoside A in HALME, and Luteolin and 8-C-Glycosylapigenin in BVLME. Both HALME and BVLME significantly (p < 0.05) reduced SOD, catalase and GST activities in T. procumbens and A. sessilis, with effects comparable to those of glufosinate and glyphosate. BVLME, glufosinate, glyphosate and their combination significantly (p < 0.05) reduced ALS activity in A. sessilis and T. procumbens and thioesterase activity in A. sessilis relative to the control. Both extracts also reduced photosystems I and II activities in the weed extracts. These findings indicate that the tested leaf extracts influence multiple biochemical processes associated with weed metabolism and stress responses, supporting further evaluation of their herbicidal potential under whole-plant and field conditions.

Seminal Biomarkers and Oxidative Stress Parameters in Infertile Cigarette Smokers: A Study from Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Thu, 22 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background: Cigarette smoking is a common lifestyle exposure among infertile men; however, its effects on seminal antioxidant status in Nigerian populations are not well documented.

Aim: To compare seminal biomarkers (zinc and fructose), inflammatory cytokines [interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)], antioxidant biomarkers [superoxide dismutase (SOD) and reduced glutathione (GSH)], and the oxidative DNA-damage marker 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) between cigarette-smoking and non-smoking infertile men attending the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH), Port Harcourt.

Methods: This cross-sectional analysis included 84 men with abnormal semen parameters recruited from the fertility clinic of RSUTH. Participants were classified by current cigarette-smoking status as smokers (n = 27) or non-smokers (n = 57). Seminal plasma zinc, fructose, IL-6, TNF-α, SOD, GSH, and 8-OHdG were quantified by competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Data were analysed using an independent-samples t-test in the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), version 27, with statistical significance set at p ≤ 0.05.

Results: Twenty-seven of the 84 infertile men (32.1%) reported current cigarette smoking. Mean seminal zinc concentration was significantly lower in smokers than in non-smokers (3.52 ± 0.97 vs 4.15 ± 0.67 µmol/L; p = 0.049), representing an approximate 15.2% reduction. SOD activity (12.12 ± 2.45 vs 15.72 ± 2.90 U/mL; p = 0.047) and GSH concentration (1.14 ± 0.30 vs 1.44 ± 0.29 µmol/L; p = 0.023) were also significantly lower in smokers. Fructose, IL-6, TNF-α, and 8-OHdG did not differ significantly by smoking status (p > 0.05).

Conclusion: Among the infertile men studied, cigarette smoking was associated with lower seminal zinc, SOD, and GSH, whereas fructose, IL-6, TNF-α, and 8-OHdG did not differ significantly between smokers and non-smokers. These findings indicate an association between cigarette smoking and reduced seminal antioxidant status in this study population.

Effects of 10% Dietary Incorporation of Gnetum africanum in High-Fat Diet on Lipid Profile and Some Markers of Insulin Resistance in Wistar Rats

Sat, 24 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Aims: The present study aimed to investigate the effects of Gnetum africanum leaves on the lipid profile and insulin resistance of albino rats fed a high-fat diet incorporating 10% G. africanum leaves.

Study Design: After six days of acclimatisation, twenty-five (25) male albino rats were divided into five groups, with five rats in each group. The groups were as follows: Group 1 (negative control) received a basal diet and water; Group 2 (high-fat diet only) received a high-fat diet and water; Group 3 (basal + Gnetum africanum) received a high-fat diet incorporating 10% Gnetum africanum and water; Group 4 (HFD + Gnetum africanum) received a control diet incorporating 10% Gnetum africanum and water; and Group 5 (orlistat + HFD) received a high-fat diet, a daily intraperitoneal injection of orlistat (10 mg/kg body weight) and water.

Place and Duration of Study: Experimental animals were maintained in metabolic cages under standard environmental conditions at the animal house of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike. They were provided with feed and clean drinking water and allowed to acclimatise for six days before receiving their assigned diets for four (4) weeks.

Methodology: Following an overnight fast, fasting blood glucose concentrations were measured each morning using an Accu-Chek Active glucometer. At the end of four (4) weeks of feeding, during which the positive control group also received intraperitoneal injections of orlistat, the animals were sacrificed, and blood samples were collected by cardiac puncture using a 19G needle and syringe. The blood samples were centrifuged at 4,000 rpm for 10 minutes, and the separated serum was used for lipid profile analysis.

Results: The lipid profile results showed a significant decrease (p>0.005) in the serum concentrations of total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein and VLDL in animals in the test group compared with animals in the control group, as well as a significant decrease (p>0.005) in insulin resistance (TyG index) in the test group compared with the control group.

Conclusion: The results of this feeding study suggest that Gnetum africanum leaves possess pharmacological properties and may therefore be useful in the management and treatment of diseases associated with hyperglycaemia and hyperlipidaemia.

Diversity of Ethnobotanical Uses and Availability of Raphia hookeri and Elaeis guineensis in the Urban Municipality of N'Zérékoré in Guinea

Mon, 26 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The Aim: assessing the ethnobotanical uses and availability of two species from the Arecaceae family (Raphia hookeri and Elaeis guineensis).

Study Design: this study is a diagnostic study on the use of agricultural resources.

Place and Duration of Study: this study was conducted in the urban municipality of N'Zérékoré in the Republic of Guinea between January and March 2026

Methodology: data were collected from 55 users through semi-structured questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and direct observation. The surveys focused on the different categories of use of the species as well as local perceptions of their availability.

Results: the Results reveal that Raphia hookeri is primarily used for food (42%), particularly in the production of raffia wine, followed by artisanal (20%), traditional (18%), agricultural (13%), and construction (7%) uses. As for Elaeis guineensis, food uses remain dominant (56%), followed by industrial (29%), traditional (9%), and energy (6%) uses. The availability assessment shows that the population primarily associates these two species with their food uses. Thus, 67% of respondents consider Raphia hookeri available mainly for food, while 75% attribute this availability to Elaeis guineensis. Other uses mentioned include crafts, industry, traditional medicine, and certain ecosystem services.

Conclusion: These results highlight the socio-economic, cultural, and nutritional importance of these plant resources for local communities and underscore the need to adopt sustainable management measures to ensure their long-term conservation and availability.

Evaluation of Plasma Homocysteine, Vitamins B6, B12, Folate and Total Antioxidant Capacity in Women Attending Antenatal Care in Omoku, Rivers State, Nigeria

Kabari Anita Yiganubari, Ojoye Ngoye Briggs, Donatus Onukwufor Onwuli — Mon, 26 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background: During pregnancy, maternal one-carbon metabolism undergoes significant adaptation, and biomarkers such as homocysteine, vitamins B6 and B12, folate, and TAC play important roles in DNA methylation and redox homeostasis. Impaired antioxidant defence and elevated homocysteine have been identified as potential risk factors during pregnancy, but comparative data across trimesters are scarce in semi-urban Nigerian communities.

Objective: This study evaluated plasma homocysteine, vitamins B6 and B12, folate and TAC in pregnant women across the three trimesters of pregnancy and in non-pregnant controls in Omoku, Rivers State, Nigeria.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 140 women aged 18-50 years were recruited: 20 non-pregnant controls and 120 pregnant women (40 in the first trimester, 40 in the second trimester, and 40 in the third trimester). Plasma homocysteine, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, folate and TAC were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Data were analysed by one-way ANOVA and Pearson correlation analysis using GraphPad Prism 8.0.2, with significance set at p<0.05.

Results: Maternal age and blood pressure did not differ significantly across groups (p>0.05), whereas body weight increased significantly with advancing gestation (p=0.0025). Plasma homocysteine differed significantly among groups (p=0.0001), being highest in the first trimester (4.54±1.76 µmol/L) and lowest in the third trimester (2.86±0.50 µmol/L). Folate concentration also differed significantly across groups (p=0.0068), peaking in the second trimester (5.29±0.86 ng/mL). Vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and TAC showed no significant inter-group differences (p>0.05). Homocysteine correlated negatively with vitamin B6 (r=-0.345, p=0.007) and folate (r=-0.410, p=0.001), while folate correlated positively with vitamin B6 (r=0.531, p<0.001) and negatively with systolic blood pressure (r=-0.327, p=0.011).

Conclusion: Pregnancy was associated with significant gestational changes in plasma homocysteine and folate concentrations, while vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and total antioxidant capacity remained relatively stable. These findings suggest adaptive changes in one-carbon metabolism during pregnancy without clear evidence of widespread micronutrient deficiency. Routine antenatal micronutrient supplementation and monitoring of relevant biochemical parameters may help support maternal nutritional status and favourable pregnancy outcomes.

Effects of Acute Inhalation Exposure to Refrigerants R-22, R-134a and R-410A on Biochemical Parameters in Wistar Rats

Djossou Vidémé Amèh, Melila Mamatchi, Sina Haziz — Sat, 31 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background: Refrigerants R-22, R-134a and R-410A may result in inhalation exposure during maintenance or accidental leaks, but their early biochemical effects remain insufficiently characterised. This study evaluated glucose, lipid and renal parameters in Wistar rats after acute exposure.

Materials and Methods: Forty-eight rats (24 males and 24 females) were allocated to three refrigerant groups, with a model-derived equivalent dose of 487.95 mg/kg for 1 h. The analysis comprised 12 controls and 36 exposed rats sampled at 0, 1 or 24 h. Biochemical parameters were measured on a COBAS c311 analyser. Non-parametric tests, Benjamini–Hochberg adjustment, Hedges' g and Cochran's test were applied.

Results: Distinct clinical responses were observed, including narcotic-like signs under R-22, marked agitation under R-134a and an intermediate response under R-410A, with no mortality at the planned exposure dose. After adjustment, no biochemical difference between exposed and control animals remained significant (adjusted p ≥ 0.902). Glucose increased under R-22 (122.5 to 157.5 mg/dL; g = 1.99) but decreased under R-134a (111.5 to 74.5 mg/dL; g = −1.99), and glycaemic responses differed across refrigerants (Q = 10.07; p = 0.007; I² = 80%). Lipid parameters remained broadly stable, whereas creatinine showed a moderate pooled effect (g = 0.63). Weight loss did not exceed 2.2%.

Conclusion: Statistical analyses revealed no significant overall biochemical difference between the exposed and control groups after adjustment; nevertheless, the divergent glycaemic responses suggest refrigerant-specific patterns that warrant further investigation before any causal conclusion can be drawn.

Seroprevalence of Arbovirus-specific Antibodies in Blood Donors in the Republic of the Congo

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background: Evidence on previous exposure to arboviruses in the Republic of the Congo is geographically limited. Serological testing of archived donor specimens can describe historical antibody patterns, although results depend on the assays used.

Objective: To describe IgG reactivity to eight arboviral targets among blood donors sampled at six locations in the Republic of the Congo in 2011.

Methods: In a cross-sectional survey conducted from March to June 2011, sera from 1,009 eligible donors aged 18–65 years were examined by IgG ELISA for seven arboviruses and indirect immunofluorescence for Crimean–Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV). ELISA-positive or borderline results for yellow fever virus (YFV), West Nile virus (WNV), Toscana virus (TOSV) and tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) underwent virus neutralization testing (VNT). Frequencies, proportions and Wilson 95% confidence intervals were summarized descriptively.

Results: Of 1,009 donors, 934 (92.6%) were recruited in urban sites and 754 (74.7%) were male. ELISA IgG reactivity was recorded for dengue virus (DENV) in 456 donors (45.2%), chikungunya virus (CHIKV) in 367 (36.4%) and Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) in 77 (7.6%). VNT-positive results were observed for YFV in 281 (27.8%), WNV in 246 (24.4%), TOSV in six (0.6%) and TBEV in one (0.1%). No CCHFV IgG reactivity was recorded by immunofluorescence. These assay-defined proportions are not directly interchangeable across viruses.

Conclusion: Antibodies reactive with several arboviral targets were detected in this historical donor sample. The findings support geographically broader, contemporary studies using comparable confirmatory assays and vaccination histories, but do not establish recent infections or current transmission intensity.

Assessment of Intact Proinsulin, C-peptide and Vitamin D as Markers of β-cell Dysfunction in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) in Côte d’Ivoire

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background : Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with disturbances in insulin secretion and vitamin D metabolism; intact proinsulin and C-peptide are useful biomarkers of β-cell function, yet data on these markers remain scarce in Côte d’Ivoire.

Aims : To evaluate intact proinsulin, C-peptide, and vitamin D status in patients with T2DM in Côte d’Ivoire in order to contribute to improved clinical management of the disease.

Study Design : Case-control study.

Methodology : A case-control study was conducted in the Department of Medical and Fundamental Biochemistry of the Pasteur Institute of Côte d’Ivoire, in collaboration with the Diabetes Clinic of the Treichville University Teaching Hospital, between November 2018 and July 2020. The study included 80 patients with T2DM and 80 controls aged 30–75 years. Concentrations of intact proinsulin and C-peptide were determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Biochemical parameters were measured using a Roche Hitachi Cobas C311 analyser, and vitamin D levels were assayed using a Waters® (USA) high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system.

Results: The results showed a significant decrease in vitamin D concentration (p = 0.0013) and a significant increase in intact proinsulin concentration (p = 0.0011) in patients with diabetes compared with non-diabetic controls. Among patients with diabetes, 21.25% of men and 25% of women had intact proinsulin levels > 11 pmol/L ; vitamin D deficiency was observed in 33.75% of women and 32.5% of men. C-peptide levels below 0.5 ng/mL were observed among patients with diabetes, whereas levels above 3.2 ng/mL were found in 10% of patients. Correlations among intact proinsulin, C-peptide, and vitamin D were weak and not statistically significant.

Conclusion : The study demonstrated elevated intact proinsulin levels, altered C-peptide levels, and reduced vitamin D levels in Ivorian patients with type 2 diabetes, findings consistent with pancreatic β-cell dysfunction and insulin resistance.

Phytochemical Analysis and Antioxidant Activity of Ethanolic Extracts from Different Organs of Euphorbia hirta L. Collected in Benin

Mon, 09 Nov 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background: Euphorbia hirta L. is traditionally used in Benin to alleviate asthma symptoms. However, variations in the phytochemical composition and antioxidant activity of its different organs require further investigation.

Aim: To compare the phytochemical profiles and in vitro antioxidant activities of ethanolic extracts from the leaves and stems, flowers and roots of Euphorbia hirta collected in Benin.

Methods: Plant samples collected in Porto-Novo were separated into three organ groups and extracted by ethanol maceration. Qualitative phytochemical screening was performed, and total phenolic and flavonoid contents were determined using colorimetric methods. Antioxidant activity was evaluated using the DPPH radical-scavenging assay.

Results: Extraction yields were 13.40%, 10.94% and 4.75% for leaves and stems, flowers and roots, respectively. Polyphenols, flavonoids, tannins and coumarins were detected in all extracts, whereas saponins were detected exclusively in roots. Leaves and stems exhibited the highest total phenolic (28.31 ± 0.64 mg GAE/100 mg) and flavonoid (17.36 ± 0.20 mg QE/100 mg) contents. DPPH inhibition was 70.67 ± 0.66%, 69.67 ± 1.08% and 57.35 ± 0.40% for leaves and stems, flowers and roots, respectively. Corresponding IC₅₀ values were 8.02, 9.04 and 20.35 µg/mL.

Conclusion: Ethanolic extracts from the aerial organs, particularly leaves and stems, exhibited higher phenolic and flavonoid contents and greater DPPH radical-scavenging activity than root extracts. These findings support further phytochemical and biological investigations but do not establish clinical efficacy in asthma management.