Acetylcholinesterase inhibitory effect of <i>Ficus platyphylla</i> root methanolic extract on a catfish model

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the acetylcholinesterase inhibitory effect of Ficus platyphylla metabolic root extract in Clarias gariepinus. The root was extracted with 80% methanol. A toxicity study was carried out on adult catfish. Cholinesterase inhibitory
activities were also evaluated on the same fishes using Ellman’s method. Result revealed high cholinesterase inhibitory activities of the crude extract with significant differences at p<0.05 between the group treated with crude extract only, group treated with crude extract and exposed to arsenic and group that were exposed to arsenic only as well as group that are maintained in complete media. It can be concluded that low toxicity and high cholinesterase inhibitory effect of the crude extract is responsible for it therapeutic effects of this crude extract. Toxicity screening of this crude extract on a mammal such as mice and rat to reaffirm their toxicity profile are recommended. Antioxidant screening as well as isolation of bioactive compounds present in this plant part is strongly recommended.

Keyword: Arsenic, Cholinesterase, Toxicity study, Ficus platyphylla metabolic root extract, Clarias gariepinus