Evaluation of the chemical constituents and toxicological potentials of Asystasia vogeliana benth. leaf extract

Abstract

Majority of the tradomedicinal uses of Asystasia vogeliana lack scientific backing. Therefore, this study sought to investigate the phytochemical constituents and the toxicological potentials of methanolic leaf extract of Asystasia vogeliana in Swiss albino mice. Air-dried pulverized leaves (1248 g) of Asystasia vogeliana were extracted with methanol for 48 h. The extract was concentrated using rotary evaporator to obtain crude methanol extract (99.8 g). The extract was screened for phytochemicalconstituents and partitioned with n-exane and dichloromethane (DCM). The two fractions were subjected to GC-MS analysis. Acute toxicity study was conducted in Swiss albino mice based on standard procedures. Biochemical parameters were determined in the liver, kidney and blood of the animals. Flavonoids, steroids, saponins and triterpenes were detected in the extract. GC-MS analysis of the n-hexane fraction showed presence of n-hexadecanioc acid (24.01%) and 6-octadecenioc acid (36.68%) as major constituents while oxypurinol (15.68%), and 2,2- dimethylcyclohexan-1,3- dione dioxime (11.21%) were the main constituents in dichloromethane fraction. No mortality was recorded in the acute toxicity study. Liver and blood serum aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) activities increased across the group. The creatinine and urea content in the kidney and blood serum increased. The insignificant increase in creatinine and urea levels in the kidney and blood showed mild toxicity. Also, increase in AST and ALT level was noticed in the blood which showed liver injury. Therefore, the study concluded that the extract at the tested concentration is mildly nephrotoxic and hepatotoxic.