Abstract

EVALUATION OF PHYTOCHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF ETHANOLIC EXTRACTS OF TECOMA STANS, GLYPHAEA BREVIS, GARCINIA KOLA, ZANTHOXYLUM MACROPHYLLA AND GONGRONEMA LATIFOLIUM PLANT ROOT BARK.

Chinaka N. C.*, Monago-Ighorodje C. C. and Chuku L. C.

Abstract

The plants Tecoma stans, Glyphaea brevis, Garcinia kola, Zanthoxylum macrophylla and Gongronema latifolium are acclaimed to possess numerous medicinal benefit, ranging from the treatment of burns, rheumatism, headache, stomach ache, toothache, cough and catarrh. This study aimed at investigating the phytochemical (qualitative and quantitative) potentials of these plant root barks in ethanolic extraction. The extracts were analysed for bioactive secondary metabolites using standard qualitative and quantitative spectrophotometric method. Results of qualitative analysis carried out on each plant root extract, showed the presence of important phytochemical constituents, with phenolics (tannins and flavonoids), terpenoids and alkaloids present at relatively high amount in the plant samples. The results also revealed that the total phenolic content of Tecoma stans, Glyphaea brevis, Garcinia kola, Zanthoxylum macrophylla and Gongronema latifolium were 0.498±0.00mg, 0.10±0.03mg, 0.47±0.02mg, 0.139±0.027mg and 0.10±0.02mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/mg dry weight of extract respectively. The total flavonoid content were 3.747±1.16mg, 1.65±0.20mg, 48.30±23.83mg, 3.641±0.573mg and 0.47±0.37mg rutin equivalent (RE)/mg dry weight extract respectively. Total anthocyanin content of the plants were 1985.16±18.36mg, 619.86±42.32mg, 277.86±11.35mg, 368.71±10.96mg and 323.29±22.29mg quercetin equivalent (QE)/mg dry weight extract respectively. The results therefore suggest that the extracts possess a very good phytochemical potentials and health benefit as acclaimed.

Keywords: Phytochemicals, qualitative, quantitative, equivalents, extracts.