Evaluation of Bioactive Compounds, in Vitro Antioxidant Activity and Acute Toxicity of Ethanol Extract of Morinda lucida Leaves

Abstract

Plants are known to contain phytochemicals of pharmacological relevance and as such have been utilized in the treatment and management of various diseases. Morinda lucida, a medium size tropical tree belonging to the rubiaceae family and widely distributed in Africa is one of these plants. It has been reportedly used in the traditional treatment and management of diseases. This study is aimed at identifying compounds with pharmacological relevance in the ethanol extract of Morinda lucida leaves, the antioxidant activity and lethal dose determination of the extract. The leaves of Morinda lucida was extracted with ethanol; phytochemical and bioactive compounds analysis, in vitro antioxidant activity and lethal dose (LD50) determinations were carried out. It was observed in the study that the extract contains alkaloids, quinines, quinones, flavonoids and tannins. The gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) identified phenol 2, 4-bis (1,1-dimethylethyl) (2.82%), Stilbenes (12.32%), Phenoxazine (2.60%) and Benz(cd) indol-2(1H)-one, 1-methyl- (2.60%) amongst other compounds in the extract. The in vitro antioxidant activity evaluation of the extract revealed that it possesses a significant antioxidant activity which increased with increasing concentration. The LD50 determination revealed the extract was safe as there was no death recorded even at a dose as high as 5000 mg/kg. This study shows that Morinda lucida possesses enormous pharmacological potentials.