PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING AND TOXICOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF THE LEAVES OF Murraya koenigii (L.) Sprengel (CURRY LEAF-TREE)

Abstract

This study was designed to screen the methanolic extract of the leaves of Murraya koenigii (L.) Sprengel (curry leaf-tree) for secondary metabolites (phytochemical constituents), and investigate its effects on selected organs and serum biochemical parameters of female Wistar albino rats. Phytochemical screening revealed that the extract contains tannin(s) and cardiac glycoside( s). The LDso of the extract was found to be 316.23 mg/kg body weight. There was significant (P :::;0.05) reduction in the body weights of the experimental animals compared with the control (group 0). Conversely, there was significant (P :::;0.05) increase in the relative weights of liver and kidney especially at 450 mg/kg dose, while there was no effect on the relative organ weights of lungs and heart. However, t he results of the spleen weight did not follow a particular trend. There was significant (P :::;0.05) reduction in the serum cholesterol, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), bilirubin and blood glucose of the experimental animals while alkaline phosphatase increased with extract administration. The extract literally has no effect on the haematological parameters. The hypoglycemic and hypocholesteromic activities of the methanolic extract of Murraya koenigii (L.) coupled with the relative safety (less than 250 mg/kg body weight) hold some promise in combating diabetes and/or heart diseases.