Phytochemical and Acute Toxicity Assessment of Syzygiumguineense (Willd.) DC.and Acacia hockii De Wild.Traditionally used for Female Contraception/fertility regulation in Baringo County, Kenya

Abstract

A boiled stem bark mixture of Syzygiumguineense and Acacia hockii is traditionally used by the Tugen community in Baringo County, Kenya, for fertility regulation in women. This study aimed to validate the safety and eficacy of these plants through phytochemical screening and acute oral toxicity tests. Standard phytochemical tests were employed to identify the compounds present in the stem bark extracts. Acute toxicity was evaluated following the Acute Toxicity Class model based on the OECD 423 Guideline (2001). The study was conducted between April and July 2024 at the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry for sample extraction and phytochemical analysis, and the Department of Biological Sciences, University of Eldoret, for toxicity testing. The stem bark extracts of both plants contained tannins, saponins, lavonoids, glycosides, alkaloids, terpenoids, steroids, and phenols, according to phytochemical screening conducted using established procedures. Rats were used in acute oral toxicity experiments, with each plant extract administered at a set dose of 2000 mg/kg body weight. The rats were split into test and control groups. Over the course of 14 days, signs of toxicity and death were noted every day, and body weights after fasting were recorded once a week. The fact that no deaths or changes in physiological indicators were noted during the trial suggests that the LD50 is higher than 2000 mg/kg. Furthermore, the rats fed with the extracts showed a consistent increase in their fasting body weights when compared to the control group (p = 0.05). This study concludes that the ethnobotanical use of Syzygiumguineense and Acacia hockii is safe based on acute toxicity results. The phytochemical compounds present may be responsible for the plants' pharmacological effects in traditional medicine. However, further long-term toxicity studies are recommended to fully assess the toxicological proile and reinforce the clinical signiicance of these indings