Phytochemical Screening, Liver Toxicity and Antibacterial Properties of Aqueous and Ethanol Extracts of a Local Herbal Mixture “Aju Mbaise”

Abstract

Plants have been used worldwide for the treatment of various human ailments for centuries. 1 Their use is still quite prevalent, especially in developing countries in the form of traditional medicine. 2 Extensive chemical and antimicrobial studies on several medicinal plants during the last decades have led to the validation of traditional claims in many cases and have facilitated the identification of their active components. 3 Medicinal plants are the richest source of natural antimicrobial agents. 4,5 Traditional healer's claim that some plants are more efficient to treat infectious diseases than synthetic antibiotics. From ancient times, different parts of plants have been used to cure specific ailments. The plants are widely used because of their availability and cost-effectiveness. 6,7 "Aju Mbaise" is a very popular decoction native to the Igbo people of SouthEast Nigeria, which is used in treating a variety of conditions and diseases. Traditionally it is believed to be a strong remedy for weight loss, ovarian cyst, diabetes, irregular menstrual cycle, and eczema. It is a combination of leaves and stem of various plants, tied together with twine and administered after boiling as tea or soup. 8 According to Ogueke et al, 8 the plants that makeup Aju Mbaise are Jatropha curcas (Barbados nut, purging nut), Cnestis ferruginea, Combretum racemosum (Bushwillow tree), Chrysophyllum albidum