Preliminary Phytochemical and Acute Toxicity Studies of Methanol Leaf Extract of Acioa Barteri

Acioa barteri plant has higher medicinal value and can be extensively studied to extract the natural compounds which are beneficial to human beings and that could be commercialized for higher production than using synthetic drugs with side effects. Plants have served human beings as a natural source for treatments and therapies from ancient times. Medicinal plants have gained attention because of its wide use and less side effects. We investigated the phytochemical constituents and acute toxicity of leaves extract of Acioa barteri. The presence of tannins, saponins, terpenoids, flavonoids, alkaloid, phenol, steroids and cardiac glycosides were determined using standard methods for qualitative phytochemical analysis. A total number of 12 rats were used for acute toxicity studies; grouped into 4 groups of 3 albino mice each. The plant extract was administered according to their body weights with 250, 500 and 1000mg/kg. The plant extract at 250mg/kg and 500mg/kg showed no significant (p<0.05) toxic effects while at higher dose of 1000mg/kg, the extract caused mortality of experimental animal. The oral lethal medium dose (LD50) of 707.15mg/kg was recorded. The treatment of the mice with different doses of the plant extract (250, 500, and 1000mg/kg) significantly altered the serum marker enzymes (AST, ASP and ALT). From the study, the extract is safe on acute administration but prolong use may cause harmful effect on the animal organs. The phytochemical studies and acute toxicity of the plant leaves were evaluated for the first time, hence a good plant to explore for its medicinal potentials.