Phytotoxicity, cytotoxicity and chemical composition of Spondias mombin Linn. Stem bark

Abstract Background Spondias mombin Linn. is a tropical climate plant with wide applications in ethnomedicinal practice. This study evaluates the phytotoxicity, cytotoxicity and chemical composition of plant’s stem bark. Methods Dried bark sample was subjected to exhaustive extraction partitioned into sub-fractions (hexane-ethylacetate, ethylacetate, ethylacetate-methanol methanol) by graded polarity technique. The phytotoxicity indices crude hydro-ethanol extract fractions were evaluated using Lemna minor brine shrimp lethality assays, respectively, while oily hexane:ethylacetate fraction determined gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) Results Phytotoxicity dose-dependent which ranged from low (crude extract), moderate (hexane-ethylacetate methanol fractions), high (ethylaacetate-methanol fraction) significant toxicity (ethylacetate at highest dose. However, for assay only hexane-ethylacetate (LD 50 : 284.02 μg/mL) ethylacetate 210.24 cytotoxic GC-MS profile identified sixty-eight compounds comprising hydrocarbons, fatty acids, alcohols, steroids, nitrogen fluoride-containing compounds, terpenes esters. Conclusion concludes that Lin. could be potentially toxic. While its phytotoxic potential can useful agrochemical industry production natural herbicides, property cautiously harnessed purposes.