Abstract

PHYTOCHEMISTRY, CELL TOLERANCE AND CHROMATOGRAPHIC PROFILE OF PLANTS USED AGAINST DIARRHEA IN MITSOGHO IN GABON

Joanna Grace Ombouma*, Alban G. Houngbeme, Raymonde Mboma, Pauline Deguenon, Marcel R. B. Houinato and Fernand A. Gbaguidi

ABSTRACT

The present study was carried out to identify the chemical groups, show the chromatographic profile and assess the general cytotoxicity of aqueous extracts of 16 medicinal plants for antidiarrheal purposes in Mitsogho living beetween Oyane 4 and Fourplace in the provincial of Estuaire District in Gabon. They are: Acanthus montanus, Alchornea cordifolia, Alstonia congensis, Barteria fistulosa, Ceiba pentandra, Cola acuminata, Coula edulis, Cyathula prostrata, Desmodium adscendens, Picralim anitida, Psidium guineense, Pterocarpus soyauxii, Santiria trimera, Sida rhombifolia, Triumfetta cordifolia et Uapaca guineensis. The phytochemical screening, carried out on herbal drugs, revealed the presence of steroids, tannins (catechics & galls), reducing compounds, saponosides, anthocyanins, mucilages, flavonoids and leuco-anthocyanins. It should be noted that 84.21% of plants contain tannins and 56.25% flavonoids which are groups involved in antidiarrheal activity. The presence of tannins and flavonoids was confirmed by thin layer chromatography with a toluene-ethyl acetate-formic acid (36-12-5; v/ v/v) solvent system as the mobile phase. Finally, larval cytotoxicity has shown that all these plants, through aqueous extracts, are not toxic with regard to the LC50 obtained which are between 2.79 ± 0.05 and 5.17 ± 0.17 mg /ml. These values are well above the set toxicity limit (0.1 mg/ml).

Keywords: Antidiarrheal plants, Gabon, phytochemical screening; Chromatography; cytotoxicity.