ISSN 2375-1134
African Journal of Agriculture Vol. 1 (2), pp. 022-023, August, 2013. © International Scholars Journals
Short Communication
Physico- chemical characterization and cytotoxicity studies of seed extracts of Khaya senegalensis (Desr.) A. Juss.
R. G. Ayo1, O. T. Audu2 and J. O. Amupitan2
1Samaru College of Agriculture, Division of Agricultural Colleges, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria.
2Department of Chemistry, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria.
*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]. Tel: +2348036371606.
Accepted 22 May, 2013
Abstract
The seeds of Khaya senegalensis were extracted using petroleum ether and methanol with the aim of determining the physico-chemical properties of the seed oil and the cytotoxicity of the two extracts. The refractive index of the oil was found to be 1.458, while the relative density was 0.953. The iodine and saponification values were 88.40 and 195.58, respectively. The peroxide and acid values were 4.6 and 2.69, respectively. Brine shrimp lethality bioassay of petroleum ether and methanol extracts of the seeds showed that the extracts were moderately cytotoxic at high concentration. The LC50 values using Probit analysis method for petroleum ether and methanol extracts were 827.39 and 51.79 µg/ml, respectively. Therefore, the seed oil of K. senegalensis was found to be non-drying oil and the extracts from the seeds may contain bioactive compounds of potential therapeutic and prophylactic significance.
Key words: Khaya senegalensis, Meliaceae, physico-chemical characteristics, seed oil, cytotoxicity.