Preliminary Phytochemical and Acute Toxicity Studies of Different Extracts of Guiera Senegalensis

Abstract

The leaf of Guiera senegalensis is used in the management of many diseases in Nigeria and many African countries, but the medial lethal doses (LD₅₀) of its different extracts are not widely investigated. To evaluate the phytochemical constituents and acute toxicity indexes of aqueous, hexane, dichloromethane and methanol leaf extracts of G. senegalensis, basic phytochemical screening methods were applied. While up and down procedure and Lorke’s method was used for acute toxicity studies. Tannins, phenolic compounds and alkaloids were detected in all the extracts, while flavonoids and terpenoids were detected in aqueous, hexane and methanol extracts. On the other hand, cardiac glycosides and steroids were only detected in the aqueous and methanol extracts. According to up and down procedure, the medial lethal dose (LD₅₀) of the methanol, dichloromethane and aqueous leaf extracts of G. senegalensis was estimated to be above 5000 mg/kg body weight, while that of hexane extract was estimated to be above 2000 mg/kg body weight. However, according to Lorke’s method, the medial lethal doses (LD₅₀) of hexane and aqueous extracts were estimated to be 1,264.91 and 177.48 mg/kg body weight respectively, while that of dichloromethane and methanol extracts was each estimated to be 2,154.07 mg/kg body weight. The present study has reported for the first time the acute toxicity indexes of hexane, dichloromethane and methanol leaf extracts of G. senegalensis.

Keywords: Leaf extracts, Lorke’s method, medial lethal dose, phytochemical constituents, up and down procedure

Cite this Article

Rasheed-Jada Hadiza, Abubakar Umar Suleiman. Preliminary Phytochemical and Acute Toxicity Studies of Different Extracts of Guiera Senegalensis. Research & Reviews: A Journal of Pharmacognosy. 2019; 6(3): 11–16p.