Protective Effect of Withania somnifera on Nandrolone Decanoate‑Induced Biochemical Alterations and Hepatorenal Toxicity in Wistar Rats

Background: The genus <em>Cissus</em> (Vitaceae) is a large genus of about 350 species distributed in tropical and subtropical regions. <em>Cissus quadrangularis</em> L. is a well-known medicinal plant used in traditional medicine for the treatment of bone fractures, asthma, and hemorrhoids. Objective: The present study was aimed to evaluate the phytochemical profile and antioxidant activity of <em>Cissus quadrangularis</em> L. stem extracts. Materials and Methods: The stem of <em>C. quadrangularis</em> was extracted with different solvents (hexane, ethyl acetate, and methanol). The phytochemical screening was performed using standard qualitative tests. The total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) were determined using Folin-Ciocalteu and aluminum chloride colorimetric methods, respectively. The antioxidant activity was evaluated using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. Results: The phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, and steroids in the extracts. The methanol extract showed the highest TPC (145.2 ± 3.4 mg GAE/g) and TFC (88.6 ± 2.1 mg QE/g). In the DPPH assay, the methanol extract exhibited the strongest antioxidant activity with an IC50 value of 42.5 ± 1.2 μg/mL. Similarly, the methanol extract showed the highest ferric reducing power. Conclusion: The results suggest that <em>C. quadrangularis</em> stem is a rich source of bioactive compounds with significant antioxidant potential, which could be explored for the development of natural antioxidants and therapeutic agents.