Toxicologic Screening of the Lyophilized Root and Whole Plant Body Aqueous Extracts of Cymbopogon tortilis (Presl) A. Camus [samuyaw]

Abstract

The lyophilized root and whole plant body aqueous extracts of Cymbopogon tortiiis (samityan^ were screened for its possible toxic effects. The whole plant body extract was used in the phytochemical screening and was tested for its possible mutagenic, cytotoxic and clastogcnic properties while the root extract was tested for its acute oral toxicity in mice. The phytochemical screening of the lyophilized whole plant body aqueous extract revealed the presence ot tannins, glycosides, reducing substances and flavonoids. The whole plant body extract was also found to be non-mutagenic in the REC Assay and non-clastogenic in the Miconucleus Test. In the Brine Shrimp Lethality Test, die whole plant body extract manifested cytotoxic properties on Artemia salina, with an LC50 of 260.33 pg/ml ± 126.38. From the exploratory study on the acute oral toxicity of C. tortilis in mice, it was shown that the lyophilized root extract had an LD^ value that lies between 12.0 and 24.0 g/kg body weight, which is classified as practically nontoxic. In addition, C. tortilis extract showed a dose-dependent increase in the adverse effects in the major systems ot the body. Based on rhe toxicologic parameters used in the study, the Cymbopogon tortilis (samiyanl) lyophilized root and whole plant body extracts were found to be safe for human use as an herbal medicine.