Phytochemical and antiemetic studies on aqueous ethanol extract of the root of Senna occidentalis (L.) link (original) (raw)

Senna occidentalis (Caesalpiniaceae) is a pan tropical shrub plant widely distributed in warm regions of the world. The root infusion of the plant has been used for the treatment of gastro-intestinal disorders including emesis. The current research is aimed at evaluating the antiemetic property of the aqueous ethanol extract and solvent fractions of the root and also verifying the classes of phytochemicals in the extract and fractions. The LD 50 of the extract and its solvent fractions was determined. The antiemetic property was evaluated using copper sulphate induced emesis in chicks while phytochemical screening was carried out using standard methods. The three doses of the extract (300, 150 and 75mg/kg) conferred dose against retching compared to the control group. At a dose of 150mg/kg, the extract completely (100%) prevented co promethazine at 150mg/kg, the standard antiemetic used. Other doses of the extract 300 and 75mg/kg showed lower effect relatively. Two of the three fractions of the ethanol extract; Hexane and n retching in a similar degree (100%) demonstrated by the crude ethanol extract and the standard antiemetic promethazine at 150mg/kg, while ethyl acetate fraction exhibited its maximum protection (100%) at the lowest dose of its solvent fractions were found to be non oral route. Identified phytochemicals in the ethanol extract include; unsaturated steroids, cardiac glycosides, saponins and tannins. distributed across different fractions of the extract in order of their polarity; Steroids and resins in the n-hexane fraction, Cardiac glycosides, unsaturated sterols, saponins and tannins in the Ethylacetate and N ethyl acetate fraction contains flavonoids. The observed antiemetic activity of the extract and fractions could be due to one or some of these phytochemicals present.