Assessment of Environmental Factors on Secondary Metabolites and Toxicological Effects of Datura metel Leaves Extracts
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Date
2018
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Annals of science and Technology (AST)
Abstract
This study evaluated the chemical composition, physicochemical properties, toxicological and
environmental potentials of the Datura metel (D. metel) leaves extracts. Fresh leaves of D. metel were
harvested at three different times of the day (morning, afternoon and evening), extraction done in
succession using n-hexane and ethanol solvents respectively. Preliminary phytochemical screening,
physicochemical analysis for specific gravity, pH, colour, total ash and moisture contents of the dried
extracts were determined. The characterisation of the bioactive compounds using Gas
Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry, showed the presence of different compounds at the three
different times of the day, out of which phytol and 9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid were present at all
times. These results confirmed that some bioactive compounds present in this plant are dependent on
environmental factor , time of harvest and the choice of solvent used while the presence of others are
independent on these factors. Each extract was administered orally to Wistar rats for two weeks. There
were significant difference (p < 0.05) in activities of AST (serum and heart), ALT (liver and serum)
and ALP (Serum, liver and kidney), as well as the concentrations of albumin and protein in the liver
and serum and urea in the serum of experimental rats given n-hexane and ethanolic extracts of D.
metel. Generally it also suggest that the leaf extracts collected at three different times of the day had
some significant toxicological effect, thus may not be totally safe for consumption at the dosage
indicated since tissues membranes integrity of the Wistar rats were not potentially preserved.
Description
The leaves of D. metel has been investigated in this study and confirmed to contain some bioactive compounds such as alkaloids, steroids, glycosides, flavonoids, terpenoids and saponins, which provides a promising baseline for the traditional medicinal property. There is possibility that D. metel plant extracts can serve as a potent source for the development of natural antibacterial, antimicrobial, anticholinergic, antiinflammatory, antioxidant and anticancer agents as evident from GC-MS results. Thus, D. metel extracts may also be used to eliminate pathogenic organisms especially when collected in the evening and extracted with ethanol. Though, there is need to select harvesting time and extraction solvent based on the ailment of interest for treatment. These results confirmed that the bioactive compounds present in this plant are dependent on time of harvest and the choice of solvent used for extraction. Thus, from this study, the best time to harvest is evening and choice of solvent that revealed all the six phytoconstituents was ethanol.
Keywords
Datura metel, Photochemical reactions, GC-MS, Phytochemical, Toxicological studies
Citation
Abdul Raheem, Adenike Modinah Oladayo, Sulaiman, Faoziyat Adenike, Ahmad, Olatunde, Abdulrahim, Halimat Amin, Yusuf, Olaniyi Kamil, Mukadam, Abdulrahman Abdullah, Ganiya, Latifat Oluwatobi, Kamilu, Ahmed Lateef, Oladepo Khadijat Busola Alimi, Grace Oluwakemi, Afolayan Daniel, Odeniran, Taiwo. (2018). Assessment of Environmental Factors on Secondary Metabolites and Toxicological Effects of Datura metel Leaves Extracts. Annals of science and Technology (AST). An official journal of the Nigerian Young Academy. Volume 3 (1) Page 7-11. http://www.degruyter.com/view/j/ast.2018.3.issue-2/ast-2018-0015/ast-2018-0015.xml; Annals of Science and Technology 10.2478/ast-2018-0015.