Pharmacognosic study and anti-hepatocarcinoma activity of extracts from leaves and roots of Terminalia macroptera Guill. & Perr. (Combretaceae)

Abstract

Terminalia macroptera leaves and roots frequently used in Malian ethnomedicine showed some biological activities against liver diseases. The present study aimed to control the quality of powdered leaves and roots, and to evaluate the anti-hepatocarcinoma activity of their extracts. The quality control focused on the determination of the botanical and physicochemical parameters. The free radical scavenging activity of the ethanolic extracts of the leaves or roots was evaluated by the DPPH radical reduction method. The anti-hepatocarcinoma activity of the ethanolic extracts of the leaves or roots was evaluated in vitro on the human hepatocarcinoma (HepG2) cell line using the MTT test. The organoleptic and microscopic characters coupled physicochemical parameters for the identification of good samples of the powdered leaves and roots were established. The best free radical scavenging and anti-hepatocarcinoma activities were obtained with the ethanolic extract of the leaves with an EC50 of 6.1 ± 0.3 µg / mL of 15 μg / mL respectively. These findings will help more to prepare a monograph and to validate the use of Terminalia macroptera for liver diseases.