Characterization and Toxicological Evaluation of Combretum glutinosum (Habil) Gum of Sudanese Origin.

Abstract

Twenty samples of Combretum glutinosum gum, collected from Blue Nile state in Sudan during the seasons 2007 and 2008, were characterized using different physicochemical methods. Results obtained showed that the mean value for moisture content was 7.96%, ash content was 4.51%, pH value was 4.5, nitrogen content was 0.37%, protein content was 2.43%, acid equivalent weight was 1524.15, total uronic acid was 15.53%, intrinsic viscosity was 11.2 ml g-1 were as tannin and starch or dextrin were not detected in any samples. It is also found that Combretum glutinosum gum had low solubility in water, but it dissolved perfectly in basic media. Atomic Absorption spectrophotomtric analysis showed the most abundant cations present are calcium, potassium and magnesium with mean values in ppm 46.73, 35.97 and 17.36 respectively. Acid hydrolysis showed that the gum content of monosccharides were arabinose 56.1%, galactose 33% and rhamnose 10.9%. Toxicological study using in vitro cytotoxic methods on different types of normal and cancer human cell lines, majority gum samples studied showed that the IC50 was less than 100 μg/ml. Prediction of LD50 starting doses was estimated from the values of IC50 using Halle’s RC prediction model and was found to be in the range of 0.03 to 0.02 g kg-1 body weight on both normal and cancer cell lines.