Phytoconstituents, Acute Toxicity and In-Vivo Anti-anxiety Activity of Chloroform and Ethylacetate Extracts of Datura Stramonium in Balb/C Mice

Abstract

Datura stramonium, family, Solanaceae, was investigated for its toxicity, phytochemical constituents and anti-anxiety activity in Balb/C mice.The plant leaves were extracted with a moderately polar solvents, chloroform and ethyl acetate respectively in a soxhlet extractor apparatus for eight hourly period and concentrated using a rotary evaporator (Model RE, 200, USA). Phytochemical constituents were identified according to standard methods and high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) technique was used to further characterize both extracts. The anti-anxiety activity was conducted by the hole board method to assess the level of anxiety in the mice. Saponins, phenolics, alkaloids, phytosterols, terpenoids, triterpenes, eugenols, and diterpenes were present in both extracts The results of the HPLC analysis showed that the ethyl acetate fraction contains the highest concentration of phytoconstituents for caffeic acid ((Retention time (RT), 5.466 min; peak 4), catechin (RT, 6.483 min; peak 5), scopolamine (RT, 11.050 min; peak 9), quercetin (RT, 12.166 min; peak 10 ) and atropine (RT, 13.700 min; peak 11), ) than chloroform extract: caffeic acid (RT, 5.466 min; peak 1), catechin(RT, 6.466min; peak 5), scopolamine (RT, 11.050 min; peak 10 ), quercetin (RT, 12.166min; peak 11), ) and atropine(RT, 13.700 min; peak12 )). Group D of both extract which receive the 400 mg/kg dose showed a positive anti-anxiety activity (in a dose dependent manner) when compared with the standard control, diazepam. The study revealed that D. stramonium possess anti-anxiety activity in Balb/c mice.