ABSTRACT
Lovoa trichilioides Harms., family Meliaceae, is an economic plant of African origin. It is an emergent, monoecious and wind dispersed species. The plant is widely distributed to the rest of the world as ornamental, wood for construction and for its medicinal attributes. The plant has been used in ethnomedicine for the treatment of cough, yellow fever, stomach ache and as anti helminth.
Evaluations of some therapeutic activities of Lovoa trichilioides (Harms.) roots were understudied. The roots of L. trichilioides (Harms.) were shade dried, pulverized and prepared into extracts. The extracts were administered to the mice orally at 1250 mg/kg, 2500 mg/kg, and 5000 mg/kg doses in acute toxicity studies which is a single dose administration in which the test animals were monitored for 14 days for any adverse reaction. 200 mg/kg, 400 mg/kg, and 800 mg/kg doses of the extract were also administered to the Wistar rats for a 28 days sub-acute study. 30, 50 and 100 mg/kg of the root extracts of L. trichilioides (Harms.) were subjected to hepatoregenerative, anti-diabetic, immunomodulatory, anti-ulcer and anti-inflammatory properties using standard models and procedures. Characterization of the functional groups implicated in the active ingredient was analysed by GC-MS. Qualitative and quantitative phytochemicals evaluations were performed including in vitro antioxidant capacity and molecular docking of the plant.
The LD50 of Lovoa trichilioides extracts was observed to be more than 5000 mg/kg which is evidenced by the absence of mortalities or physical abnormal signs. The sub-acute toxicity studies revealed that no harmful effects were recorded in the hematological, biochemical and histopathological parameters of the blood and visceral organs except at 800 mg/kg which showed centrilobular necrosis on the liver, necrosis of the endometrium and uterine glands and a significant increase on the left kidney (0.8 ± 0.03) when compared to the control (0.6 ± 0.03). The significant increase in the left kidney was backed up by a significant increase in the PCT % of the hematology at 200 mg/kg. This is an indication of the toxicity of the extract at higher dose. Effective concentration EC50 were observed at 30, 50, and 100 mg/kg of the root extracts which exhibited normal physiological effects in anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, hepatoregenerative, anti-ulcer and immunoprotective properties. GC-MS analysis on the extracts elicited the presence of 11.alpha.-Hydroxyresibufogenin, Trilostane, Lanosterol and Squalene to be the most abundant. The present phytochemicals include: phenol, saponin, anthroquinone, flavonoid, steroid, alkaloid and glycoside. Molecular simulation of L. trichilioides root extracts with Fructose-1,6-biphosphate, glycogen phosphorylase and glucose-6-phosphotase displayed strong molecular docking with potent binding affinities. In vitro antioxidant capacities (DPPH, Ferric reducing activity) and oxidative stress biomarkers were comparable with standards. In conclusion, the study lends credence to the use of L. trichilioides (Harms.) in the treatment of ailments which validates the ethnomedicinal claims.
