EVALUATION OF PHYTOCHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS AND HYPOGLYCEMIC, HYPOCHOLESTEROLEMIC EFFECTS AND ACUTE TOXICITY STUDY OF AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF THE LEAF OF TAPINANTHUS BANGWENSIS IN EXPERIMENTAL WISTAR RATS. (Published)
African mistletoe is an obligate parasitic medicinal plant found growing on evergreen deciduous plant. Tapinanthus bangwensis is a medicinal plant with wide- range spectrum of pharmacological potentials. Scientific investigations of the plant showed that it has anti-cancer, hypotensive, anti-infertility, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant properties etc. Within the scope of this scientific investigation of the aqueous extract of the leaf of Tapinanthus bangwensis, it could be deduced that the plant possesses both hypoglycemic and hypocholesterolemic properties and also has toxic tolerance. Phytochemical investigation of aqueous leaf extract of Tapinanthus bangwensis showed the presence of alkaloid, flavonoid, saponin, tannin, protein, carbohydrate, glycosides, cyanogenic glycoside, cardiac glycoside and steroid aglycon except reducing sugar that was absent. The percentage reduction in the level of systemic glucose compared to the control group was found to be 70%. Cholesterol level also reduced significantly by 39% compared with the control. Acute toxicity concentration was found to be 1833mg/kg. Statistical analysis showed significant difference at p= 0.05
Keywords: Acute Toxicity, Diabete mellitus, Phytochemical constituents, Reactive oxygen species, Tapinanthus bangwensis