Abstract:
The present research work was designed to identify the phytochemical constituents and acute oral toxicity of methanolic extract of seeds of Mucuna pruriens. Fresh mature seeds were shade dried at room temperature, coarse powdered and extracted with metahanol by Soxhlet’s extraction method. Thereafter, the extract was concentrated using rotary flash evaporator to obtain semisolid crude extract with the yield of 09.534 %. Mucuna pruriens seed extract was investigated for the presence of phytochemical constituents and oral acute toxicity study. Preliminary phytochemical tests was conducted on test extract to detect the presence of phytochemicals by the standard methods described in the Pharmacognosy text book of Trease and Evans. The acute toxicity of test extract was determined in mice weighing between 20 – 25 g following fixed dose method of CPCSEA, OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development), guideline No. 420. The preliminary phytochemical evaluation of the Mucuna pruriens seed extract revealed the presence of steroids, alkaloids, tannins, carbohydrates, amino acid, resins and starch. In an acute toxicity studies, test extract of title plant did not cause any mortality of the animals at dose of 2000 mg/kg
