Phytotoxicity, cytotoxicity and chemical composition of Spondias mombin Linn. Stem bark

Abstract

Background Spondias mombin Linn. is a tropical climate plant with wide applications in ethnomedicinal practice. This study evaluates the phytotoxicity, cytotoxicity and chemical composition of the plant’s stem bark. Methods Dried stem bark sample of Spondias mombin Linn. was subjected to exhaustive extraction and partitioned into sub-fractions (hexane-ethylacetate, ethylacetate, ethylacetate-methanol and methanol) by graded polarity technique. The phytotoxicity and cytotoxicity indices of the crude hydro-ethanol extract and fractions were evaluated using Lemna minor and brine shrimp lethality assays, respectively, while chemical composition of the oily hexane:ethylacetate fraction was determined by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) technique. Results Phytotoxicity was dose-dependent which ranged from low (crude plant extract), moderate (hexane-ethylacetate and methanol fractions), high (ethylaacetate-methanol fraction) to significant toxicity (ethylacetate fraction) at the highest dose. However, for brine shrimp lethality assay only hexane-ethylacetate (LD50: 284.02 μg/mL) and ethylacetate (LD50: 210.24 μg/mL) fractions were cytotoxic at the highest dose. The GC-MS profile of the oily hexane:ethylacetate fraction identified sixty-eight compounds comprising hydrocarbons, fatty acids, alcohols, steroids, nitrogen and fluoride-containing compounds, terpenes and esters. Conclusion This study concludes that fractions of Spondias mombin Lin. could be potentially toxic. While its phytotoxic potential can be useful in the agrochemical industry for the production of natural herbicides, its cytotoxic property can be cautiously harnessed for ethnomedicinal purposes.

Characterization of Delonix regia Flowers’ Pigment and Polysaccharides: Evaluating Their Antibacterial, Anticancer, and Antioxidant Activities and Their Application as a Natural Colorant and Sweetener in Beverages

“…Traditional antimicrobial treatment using antibiotics has the primary disadvantage of fast resistance development to current antimicrobial drugs. Therefore, it is vital to create novel antimicrobial medicines to combat drug-resistant bacteria that are undergoing continual genetic mutation [ 38 ]. The WHO has revealed that >75% of the world’s population relies mainly on plant-based traditional remedies, particularly in emerging and underdeveloped nations.…”

“…The WHO has revealed that >75% of the world’s population relies mainly on plant-based traditional remedies, particularly in emerging and underdeveloped nations. Based on the screening of plant extracts for antimicrobial activity, it has been determined that higher plants are a prospective source of novel antimicrobial agents [ 38 ]. DRPE has broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against tested pathogenic bacteria ( Figure 9 ); the inhibition zone diameters (IZDs) indicate that.…”

A New Unsaturated Aliphatic Anhydride from Aspergillus candidus T1219W1, an Endophytic Fungus, from Pittosporum mannii Hook f.

“…Te ethyl acetate crude extract of A. candidus was initially dissolved in DMSO, then subjected to 10, 100, and 1000 μg/mL ten brine shrimp nauplii sea water in triplicates, and incubated at 25-28 °C under illumination for 24 hours. For surviving shrimps, the determination of the mortality percentage and the calculation of LC 50 as well as LD 50 were carried out as previously reported [19,20].…”

Bioactivity-guided fractionation of antimalarial active extract of <i>Spondias mombin</i> Linn stem bark

“…Under these systems, the use of herbs is common practice. These herbs or medicinal plants possess phytochemicals that have bioactivities against several disease-causing organisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, nematodes and parasites, (Coates et al, 1994, Yuan et al, 2016Orumwensodia et al, 2021), or the consequences of the actions of these organisms, hence could be deployed in the treatment and/or management of diseases associated OPEN ACCESS with these organisms. Phytochemicals could function alone, in synergy or antagonism with other molecules in order to produce the desired pharmacological effect (Yuan et al, 2016).…”

“…Worthy of note is that some drugs in clinical practice today were derived from plant sources and their discoveries were based on usage in traditional practice (Fabricant and Farnsworth, 2001;Li-Weber, 2009;Padmavathi, 2013). An example of such herbs is Spondias mombin Linn., which has been exploited within traditional set-ups for the treatment of diseases (Aigbokhan, 2014;Orumwensodia et al 2021). Well adapted to the humid tropical climates of Asia, South America and Africa (Ayoka et al, 2008;Orwa et al, 2009), S. mombin adorns the semi-deciduous, evergreen lowland, waterlogged or dense canopy forest areas of these continents with a fat trunk and majestic height of around 30 m at maturity.…”