The Journal of Phytopharmacology, 2019;8(3):124-128 DOI:10.31254/phyto.2019.8307

Research Article

Toxicity and antioxidant activity of Syzygium aromaticum, Mondia whitei, Carissa spinarum and Caesalpinia bonduc

Afanyibo Y-G¹ , Esseh K¹ , Idoh K¹ , Koudouvo K¹ , Agbonon A¹ , Gbeassor M¹

Afanyibo Y-G,Esseh K,Idoh K,Koudouvo K,Agbonon A,Gbeassor M

1. Laboratory of PhysiologyPharmacology, Faculty of Sciences (FDS), Center for Research and Training on Medicinal Plants (CERFOPLAM), University of Lomé (UL), Togo

*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received: 7th May, 2019 / Accepted: 26th June, 2019

Abstract

Caesalpinia bonduc, Mondia Whitei, Carissa spinarum and Syzygium aromaticum are four medicinal plants used alone or in combination in the production of traditional liquors in Togo to treat infertility, impotence and infections. They were selected on the basis of an ethnobotanical survey among Togolese traditional medicine practitioners to be evaluated for their toxicological effects and antioxidant properties. The phytochemical extraction was carried out on the powders of the roots, leaves and seeds of C. bonduc, the roots and leaves of M. whitei, the roots of C. spinarum and the leaves of S. aromaticum. The toxicity of hydroethanolic and aqueous extracts of each plant organ were checked in vitro on shrimp larvae and in antioxidant tests. The toxicity test showed that, the seven hydroethanolic extracts had their LC50 between 0.20 and 1.85 mg/ml and were all above 0.1 mg/ml, LC50 threshold set for in vitro toxicity tests. Concerning antioxidant activity, the DPPH antiradical test showed that the fourteen extracts had it IC50 between 38.21 to 96.10 ?g/mL, higher than 7.79 µg/mL which is the IC50 of quercetin used as a standard drug. The results showed that the extracts had antioxidant activity and were not toxic to shrimp larvae in vitro. However, toxicity studies will be further evaluated in vivo in animals to prove their safety and their use in traditional medicine in Togo.