Phytochemical screening and toxicity studies of Crassocephalum rubens (Juss. ex Jacq.) S. Moore and Crassocephalum crepidioides (Benth.) S. Moore consumed as vegetable in Benin

Abstract

Gbolo (C. crepidioides and C. rubens) is a wild or semi-domesticated aromatic traditional leafy vegetable highly consumed in Benin. The vegetable was said to have medicinal values and locally used as nutraceutical. Considering the scientifically established potential toxicity of some vegetable species to humans and animals, leaves extracts of C. crepidioides and C. rubens were subjected to qualitative phytochemical screening and testing for cytotoxicity using the brine shrimp lethality bioassay. The phytochemical screening recorded the presence of pharmacologically important substances such as tannins, coumarins, combined anthracene derivatives C-heterosides, flavonoids, mucilage, reducing compounds and Steroids. Alkaloids, anthocyanins, quinone derivatives, saponins, triterpenoids, cyanogenic derivatives, cardiac glycosides and anthracene derivatives (except anthracene derivatives C-heterosides) were not detected. The LC50 values of the leaves extracts were found to be 0.901 mg/ml for C. crepidioides and 0.374 mg/ml for C. rubens hence indicating the non-toxicity of both species. The outcome of this study lends support to the trado-medicinal uses of vegetable Gbolo in the treatment of various ailments in Benin and indicates the potential usefulness of this vegetable as nutraceutical to prevent or treat various diseases. However more studies are needed for the validation of the antimicrobial, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory and blood pressure regulation properties attributed by the local communities to this vegetable Gbolo