Phytochemical, Antioxidant and Toxicological Assessment of Pericopsis laxiflora (Baker) Stem bark extract in Rats
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, College of Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
- Department of Clinical Pathology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
Abstract
Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate the acute and subacute toxicity of the 50 % hydroethanolic (HSE) and methanolic (MSE) extracts of Pericopsis laxiflora stem bark.
Methods: The extracts were analyzed for phytochemical constituents, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging activity, Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) using standard methods. Acute toxicity was evaluated following a single oral dose of 5000 mg/kg body weight (bw) of each extract, whereas in the subacute study the extracts were administered orally at 100, 250, and 500 mg/kg bw for 28 days, and animals were monitored for clinical signs of toxicity. Safety was assessed on the basis of body weight, organ weight, haematological and serum biochemical parameters, and histopathological examination of the liver.
Results: The extracts contained alkaloids, polyphenols, saponins, and cyanogenic glycosides and exhibited significant DPPH radical-scavenging activity. The median lethal dose (LD₅₀) exceeded 5000 mg/kg, and the subacute study revealed no significant effect on body weight, organ weight, or biochemical and haematological parameters at any dose compared with untreated animals. However, an increase in white blood cell (WBC) counts was recorded in both sexes. No significant hepatic lesions were observed on histological examination.
Conclusion: The present study demonstrates that hydroethanolic and methanolic extracts of Pericopsis laxiflora stem bark possess antioxidant activity and produce no detectable acute or subacute toxicity in male or female rats; their medicinal use therefore appears safe.