Pharmacognostic Valorization of Strychnos afzelii Gilg. Stems Used as Traditional Chewing Sticks in Western Cote d’Ivoire: Phytochemical and Elemental Profile

Traditional chewing sticks remain widely used for oral hygiene in many African communities. In western Cote d’Ivoire, stems of Strychnos afzelii Gilg. are sold in local markets and used as traditional chewing sticks. However, information on their phytochemical composition and elemental profile remains limited. This study aimed to contribute to the pharmacognostic characterization of S. afzelii stems. Plant material was collected at Glaogouin, approximately 5 km from Man, Cote d’Ivoire, and botanically authenticated at the National Floristic Center of Abidjan (voucher specimen UCJ011524). Aqueous and 70% hydroethanolic extracts were prepared by 24-h maceration. Phytochemical screening was performed using qualitative color and precipitation reactions and thin-layer chromatography (TLC). The elemental composition of the powdered stems was determined by scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). Extraction yields were 14.0% and 16.9% for the aqueous and hydroethanolic extracts, respectively. Both extracts contained polyphenols, flavonoids, catechin tannins, coumarins, aromatic amino acids and proteins. The elemental profile was dominated by calcium (27444.32 mg/kg), followed by potassium (2856.55 mg/kg), sulfur (1992.71 mg/kg), silicon (1868.81 mg/kg), aluminum (1188.71 mg/kg), and magnesium (1020.95 mg/kg). Cadmium was detected at 18.40 mg/kg, whereas lead was detected at 1.30 mg/kg. These findings provide preliminary pharmacognostic data on S. afzelii stems and contribute to the scientific documentation of a traditionally used chewing-stick plant in western Cote d’Ivoire.