Acute Oral Toxicity and Antispasmodic Effects of Two Extracts of Diospyros mespiliformis Hochst. Ex A. DC. (Ebenaceae) Immature Fruits on the Isolated Rat Duodenum

Abstract

Aims: Our study aimed to evaluate the chemical profile, the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, the spasmolytic effects, and the safety of use of hydroethanolic extract (HE_FDM) and aqueous macerate extract (AM_FDM) of Diospyros mespiliformis immature fruits.
 Place and Duration of Study: Immature fruits of Diospyros mespiliformis were collected in August 2022 in Goundi, in the Sanguié Province of Burkina Faso. The experiments were conducted in September - December 2022 at Laboratoire de Recherche-Développement de Phytomédicaments et Médicaments/IRSS/CNRST, Ouagadougou. 
 Methodology: Phytochemical screening by HPTLC and determining total polyphenols and flavonoids were carried out. The antioxidant activity was evaluated using DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, and LPO methods. The inhibitory activity of 15-lipoxygenase and Phospholipase A2 was evaluated. The ex vivo antispasmodic effect of extracts was tested on isolated rat duodenum using ACh and BaCl2 as contracting agents. Finally, acute oral toxicity was carried out on female mice (NMRI).
 Results: At the end of these tests, the extracts contain tannins, flavonoids, sterols, triterpenes, and saponosides. HE_FDM gave the highest levels of total phenolics (71.32±2.26 mg TAE/g and flavonoids (16.37±0.24 mg QE/g). Of the two extracts, HE_FDM gave the best antioxidant activity. However, these activities were lower than the reference substances (p<0.05). The extracts have a moderate inhibitory effect on phospholipase A2 and 15-Lipoxygenase. In addition, the most active HE_FDM caused a spasmolytic effect with Emax of 98.87±5.14% and 81.61±7.56%, respectively, during contractions induced by BaCl2 and ACh. Finally, the extracts are practically non-toxic.
 Conclusion: This work provided scientific data and could justify the use of D. mespiliformis immature fruits in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders.