Phytochemical Screening and Toxicological Study of Neptunia oleracea Lour. (Mimosaceae) Extracts, Plant Used in Traditional Medicine
Geoffroy G. Ouedraogo *
Département de Médecine et Pharmacopée Traditionnelles et Pharmacie, Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et Technologique (MEPHATRA-PH/IRSS/CNRST), 03 BP 7192 Ouagadougou 03, Burkina Faso.
Gaétan D. Somda
Laboratoire de Toxicologie, Environnement et Santé (LATES), Université Joseph KI-ZERBO, 03 BP 7021 Ouagadougou 03, Burkina Faso.
Sylvain Ilboudo
Département de Médecine et Pharmacopée Traditionnelles et Pharmacie, Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et Technologique (MEPHATRA-PH/IRSS/CNRST), 03 BP 7192 Ouagadougou 03, Burkina Faso and Unité Mixte de Recherche Internationale - Environnement, Santé, Sociétés (UMI 3189, ESS) CNRST/CNRS/UCAD/UGB/USTTB, Burkina Faso.
Noufou Ouedraogo
Département de Médecine et Pharmacopée Traditionnelles et Pharmacie, Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et Technologique (MEPHATRA-PH/IRSS/CNRST), 03 BP 7192 Ouagadougou 03, Burkina Faso and Unité Mixte de Recherche Internationale - Environnement, Santé, Sociétés (UMI 3189, ESS) CNRST/CNRS/UCAD/UGB/USTTB, Burkina Faso.
Jean Koudou
Université Aube Nouvelle, 06 BP 9283 Ouagadougou 06, Burkina Faso.
Pierre I. Guissou
Université Saint Thomas d’Aquin, 06 BP 10212 Ouagadougou 06, Burkina Faso.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Neptunia oleracea (Lourd.) Mimosaceae is a plant commonly used in traditional medicine for the treatment of several pathologies such as dysentery, jaundice, leucorrhoea, troubles of earache, among others.
Aim: The purpose of this study was to carry out preliminary phytochemical screening, acute toxicity studies and to evaluate the effect of the aqueous and hydro-ethanolic extracts of N. oleracea on intestinal motility in vivo.
Methodology: Preliminary qualitative phytochemical screening was conducted using standard procedures while acute toxicity studies was performed using OECD method. The effect of N. oleracea extracts on intestinal motility was evaluated using on normal and acetylcholine-induced transits.
Results: Preliminary qualitative phytochemical screening of aqueous and hydro-ethanolic extracts of N. oleracea revealed the presence of similar constituents including steroids, triterpenoids, saponins, tannins, flavonoids, anthocyanidins, coumarins and carbohydrates. Alkaloids was absent in both the extracts. The oral median lethal dose (LD50) for both extracts was estimated to be 5000 mg/kg.
The effect of extracts on intestinal peristalsis in mice showed that the aqueous and hydro-ethanolic extracts of N. oleracea stimulate normal intestinal transit by 1.29 and 8.54% respectively at the dose of 50 mg/kg body weight, thus there was inhibition at higher doses. These extracts potentiate acetylcholine-induced intestinal transit by 23.9 and 14.39% respectively at 500 mg/kg body weight.
Conclusion: The findings of this study showed that the aqueous and hydro-ethanolic extracts of Neptunia oleracea contain bioactive constituents that have practically no toxic effect. This could justify the many forms of use of this plant in traditional medicine.
Keywords: Neptunia oleracea, acute toxicity, NMRI mice, intestinal transit, Burkina Faso