Abstract

DETERMINATION OF THE PHYTOCHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS, ANTIMICROBIAL AND ANTITUSSIVE ACTIVITIES OF THE LEAVES OF SOLANUM TORVUM SWARTZ

Abena Amponsaa Brobbey*, Anna Kwarley Quartey, Samuel Otuo-Serebour, Isaac Ayensu

ABSTRACT

Various parts of Solanum torvum of the solanaceae family have demonstrated valuable medicinal properties including the treatment of cough and other fungal and bacterial infections. In this study, the phytochemical constituents, the antimicrobial and the antitussive activities of the methanolic extract of the leaves of Solanum torvum have been determined. The phytochemical screening identified the following phytoconstituents; tannins, flavonoids, reducing sugars, saponin glycosides, alkaloids, phytosteroids and terpenoids. The antimicrobial assay was performed on Staphylococcus aureus, streptococcus pyogenens, klebsiella pneumonia and Escherichia coli using agar well diffusion method that gave minimum inhibitory concentrations of 2.5 mg/ml, 3.16 mg/ml, 5.0 mg/ml and 5.0 mg/ml respectively. The Antitussive assay was carried out on un-anaesthetized guinea pigs of weight 250-490 g in five (5) groups of four (4) exposed to nebulized aqueous solution of citric acid to obtain a basal response to the citric acid. Groups 1 and 2 were administerednormal saline (negative control), and dihydrocodeine 20 mg/kg (positive control) while groups 3, 4, and 5 had 100 mg/kg, 300 mg/kg and 1000 mg/kg of the extract respectively. We report for the first time a dose dependent cough inhibition of 53.39 %, 64.28 % and 73.64 % respectively for groups 3, 4 and 5 with 76.21 % and 17.43 % for the positive and negative controls respectively. The presence of these important phytochemicals and the exhibition of antimicrobial and antitussive activities by the methanolic extract of the leaves of Solanum torvum gives credence for its folkloric use and further development.

Keywords: Solanum torvum, Antitussive, Antimicrobial, Citric acid.