Safety and Fertility Potential of Kenyan Grewia tenax (Mukawa Wa Guba) Root Extract Secondary Metabolites

Aim: To screen Kenyan Grewia tenax root extract phytochemicals and correlate the attribute fertility enhancing effects and safety in female albino rats.

Study Design: An experimental study design was used.

Place and Duration of Study: The phytochemical studies were done at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), Department of Botany Laboratory, while acute oral toxicity studies were done at the Department of Veterinary Anatomy and Physiology, University of Nairobi (UON) animal house. The study was done during the month of March to June 2019.

Methodology: Grewia tenax was harvested with the help of a plant taxonomist. The roots were chopped into small pieces and dried under shade for three weeks. They were then ground into powder. Organic extracts were prepared by sequential extraction (petroleum ether, dichloromethane (DCM), ethyl acetate and methanol), by use of cold maceration. Aqueous extracts were obtained by hot maceration. Phytochemical screening of extracts was done by standard phytochemical procedures. A total of 12 female albino rats were used in acute oral toxicity studies as per OECD 423 guidelines.

Results: Methanol extract had the highest composition of phytochemicals, i.e. alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, sterols, terpenes and cardiac glycosides. Aqueous and DCM extracts showed presence of alkaloids, saponins and cardiac glycosides, while petroleum ether and ethyl acetate extracts showed presence of alkaloids and cardiac glycosides. Steroids and tannins were absent in all extracts. Flavonoids, alkaloids and terpenes are fertility enhancing compounds due to their antioxidant and radical scavenging properties. Flavonoids, alkaloids and glycosides improve fertility by inducing ovarian steroidogenesis and folliculogenesis. In the acute oral toxicity study, there were no adverse effects at 5000 mg/kg extract administration.

Conclusion: Kenyan Grewia tenax root extract has phytochemicals postulated to enhance fertility and is orally safe. These findings may require further verification using in vivo studies.