PHYTOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION AND EVALUATION OF THE ACUTE ORAL TOXICITY OF AQUEOUS EXTRACTS FROM THE BARK, STEM, AND ROOT OF ZANTHOXYLUM ZANTHOXYLOIDES (LAM.) A MEDICINAL PLANT IN HIGH DEMAND IN NORTHERN CÔTE D'IVOIRE

This study focuses on the phytochemical screening and acute toxicity assessment of aqueous extracts from the bark, stem, and root of Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides, a plant harvested in the town of Dikodougou, in the Poro region of Côte d’Ivoire. The plant samples were dried, ground, and extracted by aqueous maceration. The phytochemical compounds investigated included alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, polyphenols, and saponosides. Acute oral toxicity was evaluated in Wistar rats following a single administration of 2,000 mg/kg body weight, with clinical and weight monitoring for 14 days. Extraction yields were 15.04% for root bark and 13.06% for stem bark. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of the five categories of metabolites under investigation, with no statistically significant difference between the two extracts. Terpenoids had the highest concentrations, with 127.96 ± 15.77 for the root extract and 173.80 ± 17.88 for the stem extract, according to the units indicated in the figures. After administration of the extracts at 2,000 mg/kg, no mortality or major clinical signs of toxicity were observed during the 14-day follow-up period. The median lethal dose (LD50) is therefore estimated to be greater than 2,000 mg/kg body weight. However, differences in weight gain were observed among the treated groups. These results characterize the phytochemical composition of the extracts studied and their acute oral toxicity profile under the experimental conditions used.