PHARMACOGNOSTIC AND SOME BIOLOGICAL STUDIES ON MAYTENUS SENEGALENSIS (LAM.) EXELL (CELASTRACEAE)
PHARMACOGNOSTIC AND SOME BIOLOGICAL STUDIES ON MAYTENUS SENEGALENSIS (LAM.) EXELL (CELASTRACEAE)
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Date
2014-01
Authors
AHMED, Murjanatu Abubakar
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Abstract
Maytenus senegalensis (Celastraceae) is commonly known as thorny staff tree or confettii
tree, is of high traditional use among the „Hausa‟ community of Northern Nigeria. Hence
the present investigation was to establish the pharmacognostic parameters for the leaves
and stem bark of the plant, including macroscopic and microscopical, physicochemical
constants as well as analgesic and anti-inflamatory studies. Macroscopic features of the
leaves include alternate arrangement, glabrous surface, serrated margin with a characteristic
taste and odor. The stem bark has grey, rough and firm outer surface, pink and smooth
inner surface, the bark is channeled. Microspically, the leaves have stomata that is
anomocytic type on both upper (SN= 80.50-70.00-59.50, SI= 10.81-12.72-14.63) and lower
epidermis (SN= 101.78-88.50-75.23, SI= 10.65-12.53-14.41), the epidermal cells are
polygonal in shape and trichomes are absent. The vein islet number was determined to be
23.46-20.40-17.34 and the vein let termination number was 17.94-15.60-13.26. Transverse
sections of the leaves revealed a dorsiventral type having a singled layered epidermis,
palisade cell beneath the upper epidermis, with some vascular bundles at the center covered
by a bundle carp, and some spongy mesophyll. Transverse sections of stem bark revealed
the presence of cork cells, vascular bundles, and tracheids. Longitudinal sections revealed
the presence of epidermal cells and some collenchymas cells in the leaves. Some sclereids
and parenchyma cells with some calcium oxalates encrusted in them were seen in the
transverse sections of the stem bark. Chemo-microscopical study revealed the presence of
cellulose cell wall, lignified fibers, starch grains, calcium oxalates, fixed oil and fats.
Other determinations include: moisture content (leaves- 9.33 % w/w ± 0.01, stem bark-
6.33 % w/w ± 0.02), total ash (leaf- 7.83.00 % w/w ± 0.004, stem bark- 15.17 % w/w ±
0.01), acid-insoluble ash (leaf- 01.67% w/w ± 0.01, stem bark- 01.00% w/w ± 0.01),
alcohol-soluble extractive values (leaf- 12.00% w/w ± 0.10, stem bark- 13.25% w/w ±
0.10), water-soluble extractive values (leaf- 13.25%w/w ± 0.04, stem bark- 14.25% w/w ±
0.04). Thin layer chromatography of n-butanol fraction I and II when developed in n-
Butanol: Acetic acid: Water (8:1:1) revealed the presence of spots under ultraviolet light,
when sprayed with 10% sulphuric acid and ferric chloride. In ethyl acetate: methanol and
water (10:1.65:1.35) fraction I and fraction II revealed the presence of spots when spread
with 10% sulphuric acid, while with ferric chloride. In pharmacological evaluation, median
lethal dose, Lorke (1983) of the methanolic leaves extract in both mice and rats via
intraperitoneal route was 1264.91 mg/kg, while for the methanolic stem bark extract in
mice it was 118.32 mg/kg and in rats it was found to be 177.48 mg/kg. The methanolic
leaves extract significantly (p˂0.001) inhibited acetic acid-induced writhes in mice, Koster
et al. (1959) at all doses administered (75, 150, and 300 mg/kg) in a dose dependent
manner and significantly (p˂0.01) inhibited formalin induced pain in rats (Dubuisson and
Dennis, 1977; Tjölsen et al., 1992) at the lowest and highest dose administered in phase I
(central) and II (peripheral) respectively. The methanolic extracts produced moderate antiinflammatory
effect significantly (p˂0.05) at all doses tested. Various pharamacognostic
characters analyzed in this study will be useful in the identification and standardization of
M. senegalensis, the biological evaluation provides scientific basis for the ethno medical
use of the plant in the amelioration of pain and inflammation.
Description
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE
STUDIESAHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD
OF A
MASTER DEGREE IN PHARMACOGNOSY
DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACOGNOSY AND DRUG DEVELOPMENT,
FACULTY OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY,
ZARIA, NIGERIA
Keywords
PHARMACOGNOSTIC,, BIOLOGICAL STUDIES,, MAYTENUS SENEGALENSIS,, EXELL,, (CELASTRACEAE).