PHYTOCHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL STUDIES OF THE BARK OF SCLEROCARYA BIRREA (A. RICH,) HOCHST.
PHYTOCHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL STUDIES OF THE BARK OF SCLEROCARYA BIRREA (A. RICH,) HOCHST.
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Date
1986
Authors
EZZELDIN, MUKHTAR ABDURAHMAN
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Abstract
Sclerocarya birrea (A. Rich.) Hochst is a
Savannah tree belonging to the family Anacardiaceae..
The different parts of the plant, especially the
plant bark, have long been used by traditional
healers in the northern parts of Nigeria for
treating dysentery, hemorrhoids and skin diseases.
A thorough literature survey indicated that
there has been no systematic phytochemical or biological
study of the chemical constituents of this plant.
The phytochemical study of the bark involved a
preliminary phytochemical screening and a detailed
phytochemical study of its various extracts (water,
ethanol and petroleum ether) for isolation and
characterisation of the major constituents. Some of
the constituents were also quantitativel}' estimatedi
The phytochemical examination of the bark
revealed the presence of carbohydrates, simple phenolic
compounds and sterols. Sucrose, gallic acid and a
sterol (characterised as cholesterol) were isolated
from the bark.
Various pharmacological properties of the bark's
crude water extract were separately studied using
isolated rabbit duodenum, guineapig ileum, rat uterus
and frog rectus abdominis. Acute toxicity of its
water extract was also investigated, In addition,
the water extract of the bark was also tested for its
antimicrobial activity.
The crude water extract of the bark contracted
the smooth muscles of rabbit duodenum, guineapig
ileum and rat uterus,. It also contracted the skeletal
muscles of the frog rectus abdominis. The median
lethal dose (intraperitoneal) of the water extract of
the bark was 1.44g/kg.
The isolated cholesterol sample and the pure
cholesterol sample relaxed the smooth muscles of
rabbit duodenum only and did not produce any
significant effects on any other tissues. However,
the similar behaviour of these two cholesterol sampler
provided additional support to the phytochemical
identity of the isolated sterol as cholesterol.
The microbiological studies indicated that the
water extract of the bark has a wide antimicrobial
activity against both gram positive and gram negative
microorganisms.
All these results have been reported and
discussed in this thesis in relation to the
traditional uses of the bark. In conclusion it
has been derived that these findings offer a
rational basis for the use of the bark bytraditional
healers for treating gastrointestinal
diseases and microbial infections.
Description
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL,
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT
OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF
SCIENCE IN PHARMACOGNOSY.
DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACOGNOSY & DRUG DEVELOPMENT
FACULTY OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY
ZARIA, NIGERIA.
1986
Keywords
PHYTOCHEMICAL,, BIOLOGICAL,, BARK,, SCLEROCARYA BIRREA, (A. RICH,), HOCHST.