EVALUATION OF NUTRITIONAL VALUES, PHYTOCHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS AND IN VITRO ANTIOXIDANT STUDIES OF SIX INDIGENOUS NIGERIAN PLANTS

Abstract

Background: Plants are known to contain minerals and many bioactive compounds which provide several health benefits on consumption.

Aim: The aim of present study was to assess the nutritional composition, phytochemical constituents and antioxidant properties of methanolic and ethanolic extracts of G. kola mesocarp, V. doniana stem, fruit and leaf, L. aculeate leaf and L. inermis leaf, C. ferruginea fruit and P. soyauxii stem.

Methods: Fully automated Soxhlet solvent extraction technique was used using ethanol and methanol. Solvent-Solvent fractionation was also done to obtain purer form of the plants extracts using Ethylacetate, N-hexane and N-butanol. Standard methods were employed in the phytochemical screening, quantitative phenols and flavonoid determination and antioxidant assays (DPPH radical and ascorbic acid were determined). Solutions of ascorbic acid and gallic acid served as positive controls. Data obtained were analysed using paired t-tests and one-way Analysis of variance (ANOVA) as well as Pearson Correlation with statistical significance set at < 0.05.

Results: Alkaloids, saponins, terpenoids, carbohydrates and flavonoids were detected in the extracts of studied plants. V. doniana leaves had the highest phenolic content (2684.47±55.62 mg/g) in terms of gallic acid equivalents (GAE). From all extracts assayed, V. doniana leaf extract was observed to have the highest antioxidant activity with IC value 50 of 94.48.

Conclusion: The result of this investigation suggests that these plants could be used as wild edible plants, and the natural antioxidants be incorporated as functional ingredients of food.