Phytochemical and Acute Toxicity Study of Moringa Oliefera Root

Majority of Africans today depend either totally or partially on medicinal plants for the healing of their ailments which was used by their ancestors. This form of treatment, which is referred to as ethno medicine is sometimes the only kind of health care available to the rural populations. As part of the efforts to ascertain the healing capability credited to Moringa oleifera by the general public and some traditional practitioners, this work aimed at determining the phytochemical and acute toxicity of M. oleifera was embarked on. The study aimed at establishing a safety profile, evaluating phytochemical constituents. Qualitative and quantitative phytochemical analysis, thin layer chromatography and acute toxicity study was carried out using standard methods. Acute toxicity study was carried standard procedure in rats. Phytochemicals which include alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, glycosides and triterpenes were detected in both hexane, ethyl acetate and methanolic extracts. Anthraquinones, carbohydrate, phenol, steroid and saponins were detected in the ethyl acetate and methanolic extract but absent in hexane extract of Moringa oleifera root. The quantitative phytochemical analysis showed that tannins (64.0 mg/g) was the highest phytochemical detected while the lowest was phenol (4.0 mg/g). Eight spots were detected with p-Anisaldehyde spray and the R f values were shown alongside the spots in methanol extract. LD 50 was above 5000 mg/kg and did not cause mortality in all the tested rats. The results of this investigation may be useful for deriving doses that are safe for human consumption of Moringa oleifera.