Phytochemical and Toxicological Studies of An Aqueous Trunk Bark Extract of Parkia biglobosa (Jacq.) Benth (Mimosaceae)

Abstract

Among the plants commonly used in the traditional African pharmacopoeia, Parkia biglobosa called ‘nere’ in the West African sub-region is one of the most common. We decided to determine the essential components of the aqueous extract of the bark trunk of the plant and to carry out an acute toxicity study. The phytochemical study of the trunk bark of this plant revealed the presence of sterols, polyterpenes, polyphenols, catechic tannins, alkaloids, flavonoids and saponosides. At the concentration of 2 mg/ml or 40 mg/kg body weight (bw), all animals fully regained their motive power and balance after one hour and throughout the experiment, no animal die (0%) by intraperitoneal injection. At 10 mg/ml, equivalent to 192 mg/kg bw. AEPB became toxic. The doses of 192, 380 and 400 mg/kg bw gived respectively 20, 40 and 60% mortality. At 40 mg / ml equivalent to 851 mg/kg bw, all mice died, the LD100 was reached, with the 100% of death. AEPB is a moderately toxic plant whose use in pharmacopoeia must be controlled.