Phytochemical, antioxidant and anticholinesterase profiles of Musanga cecropioïdes R. Br. (Urticaceae) from Côte d'Ivoire

This study is devoted to Musanga cecropioides (Urticaceae), a tropical plant whose leaves and root bark are used in traditional medicine in the treatment of various pathologies. The objective of this work was to study qualitative and quantitative composition of phenolic compounds in extracts of the leaves (McF) and root bark (McR) Musanga cecropioides and to evaluate their antioxidant and anticholinesterase properties. Phytochemical screening using TLC showed that the extracts contain, along with phenolic compounds such as coumarins, flavonoids and tannins, other bioactive phytocompounds namely sterols, terpenes and alkaloids. Quantitative analysis of phenolic phytoconstituents by spectrophotometry showed that contents of total flavonoids and polyphenols in leaves (7.753% and 119.389 mg EAG / g, respectively) are higher than those in the root bark (1.41% and 105.944 mg EAG / g, respectively). The antioxidant activity of total and selective extracts evaluated by FRAP and DPPH methods was found to be significant compared to vitamin C. All the extracts of Musanga cecropioides showed good anticholinesterase activity with percentages of inhibition of the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) ranging from 51.952 to 63.589%.