Elephantorrhiza elephantina Pharmacological Activity and Bio Safety in Pancreatic Insufficiency End Points
J CHIFAMBA *
Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, P.O. Box MP167, Mt Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, USA.
M CHAKANYUKA
Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, P.O. Box MP167, Mt Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe.
I G NDARIMANI
Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, P.O. Box MP167, Mt Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe.
S. ZENGENI
Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, P.O. Box MP167, Mt Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Elephantorrhiza elephantina been traditionally used for various medicinal purposes including management of gastrointestinal disorders and inflammatory conditions. Despite its extensive use in traditional medicine, E. elephantina remains largely underutilized due to the limited scientific validation of its therapeutic applications. This study investigated the metabolomics, pharmacological activity, and toxicity profiles of hydro-ethanolic extracts of E. elephantina root extracts, biased towards biological end points of exotic pancreatic insufficiency so as to substantiate the plant use in traditional medicine. Various classical techniques were employed to screen for the presence of pharmacologically relevant metabolites. The total phenolic content was quantified using the Folin-Ciocalteu method. The antibacterial properties were investigated using the agar well diffusion method, measuring zones of inhibition against E. coli. The anti-inflammatory potential was assessed through the egg albumin test. The toxicity profiling was conducted following OECD technical guideline 426. The phytochemical screening confirmed the prevalence of flavonoids, phenolics, tannins and some glycosides. The total phenolic content (TPC) was quantified at 338.0 mg GAE/g. Antibacterial analysis demonstrated dose-dependent inhibition, with 79.2% efficacy at 100 mg/mL relative to ciprofloxacin. The anti-inflammatory assays showed an 83.55% inhibition of inflammatory markers. Acute and subacute toxicity assessments confirmed the extract's safety, with no mortality observed at doses up to 5000 mg/kg body weight. The haematological and biochemical evaluations indicated insignificant nephrotoxic and hepatocellular adverse effects. The foregoing findings validate the bioactivity and safety of E. elephantina use in the management of common endpoints of exotic pancreatic insufficiency in Zimbabwean traditional medicine.
Keywords: Elephantorrhiza elephantina, pancreatic insufficiency, antibacterial, acute toxicity, subacute toxicity