Antifungal and toxicological activities of compounds from traveller’s tree (Ravenala madagascariensis sonnerat)

Abstract

This study was done to investigate the antifungal and toxicological activities of extracts from the leaves of traveller’s tree (Ravenala madagascariensis). Different concentrations (i.e. 25 - 200 mg/ml) of the extracts prepared using ethanol; n-Hexane, hot water and cold water were tested against some selected human pathogenic fungi using agar well diffusion method. The in vivo effects of the extracts on vital organs such as liver, kidney and some haematological parameters (Pack cell volume, Erythrocyte sedimentation rate, Red blood cell count, White blood cell count, Hemoglobin, Lymphocytes, Neutrophils, Monocytes, Eosinophils and Basophils) were determined using experimental rats. The haematological analyses revealed that there were no significant differences (p≤0.05) between the values of haematological parameters obtained from the treated animals and the control groups before treatment and at the end of the treatment. The extracts appeared haematologically not toxic to the experimental rats, but deleterious effects were observed on the vital organs such as liver and kidney of the experimental rats. This may be due to the presence of higher percentage of Cyanogenic glycoside (47%), thus suggesting that the extracts could be potentially deleterious to human health when consumed orally.

Keywords: Antifungal activity, Toxicological effect, in vivo, Haematological parameters