Recent Comparative Analysis of the Phytochemicals, Proximate and Mineral Compositions of Scent Leaf (Ocimum gratissimum) and Bitter Leaf (Vernonia amygdalina) Leaves

Author(s):  
Nkoli M. Mgbemena ◽  
Ngozi F. Amako
Author(s):  
Bob I. A. Mgbeje ◽  
Ezekiel Udo Umoh ◽  
Christine Emmanuel-Ikpeme

Aim: The aim of the study was to carry out a comparative analysis of the phytochemical composition of the leaves of four selected tropical medicinal plants namely: Ocimum gratissimum, Piper guineense, Gongronema latifolium and Vernonia amygdalina. Methodology: The phytochemicals in the plant leaves were extracted by cold maceration in ethanol and subjected to both qualitative and quantitative analysis of the phytochemicals. Results: The qualitative and quantitative analysis revealed the presence of the bioactive compounds alkaloids, Saponins, flavonoids, steroids, glycosides, terpenoids, polyphenols, specific cardiac glycosides, tannins, phytates and reducing compound in the leaves of each plant at varying quantities. Resins were only detected in O. gratissimum. From the quantitative analysis, Gongronema latifolium had the highest percentage content of alkaloids, glycosides, saponins, tannins and reducing sugars. Ocimum gratissimum had the highest flavonoid content. Conclusion: Taken together, G. latifolium on balance had a higher phytochemical content than the other three plants and thus should be more versatile in the treatment of a whole range of diseases. This was followed by V. amygdalina, O. gratissimum and P. guineense in that order. The fact that most of these phytochemicals have antioxidant activity may be responsible for their antidiabetic activities and use in treatment of other free radical prone diseases.


Author(s):  
Nkoli M. Mgbemena ◽  
Ngozi F. Amako

Ocimum gratissimum (fam.Lamiaceae) ‘Scent leaf’ and Vernonia amygdalina (fam.Asteraceae) ‘Bitter leaf’ are commonly consumed vegetables in Southern Nigeria. O. gratissimum is used by the ‘Igbos’ of South East Nigeria to flavor soups and stews while it is popular with the ‘Yorubas’ of South West Nigeria for treatment of stomach disorders. V. amygdalina is a well known vegetable in West Africa used as both food and for its pharmaceutical properties. The enormous use of these vegetables in the diet motivated the present study whereby the food compositions, mineral constituents and the phytochemicals of the two vegetables were determined. Qualitative analysis, of the aqueous extracts, revealed the presence of saponins, terpenoids, tannins, flavonoids, steroids, alkaloids, phenolics and anthraquinones in both vegetables. Generally V. amygdalina contained higher quantities of secondary metabolites, saponin which was reported as the highest amount was 5.71±0.12 mg/g and 3.52±0.01 mg/g followed by terpenoids 5.64±0.11 mg/g and 3.40±0.11 mg/g in V. amygdalina and O. gratissimum respectively. There is however a minute amount of anthraquinone in the two vegetables. Proximate analysis and macro elements were determined using their various standard methods. The results of proximate analysis revealed the presence of moisture (12.28 ± 0.02% and 10.01± 0.01%) protein (35.37±0.11% and 22.20±0.02%) and total ash (6.00±0.20% and 5.75±0.10%) each in V. amygdalina and O. gratisimum respectively. The following minerals were present calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, iron, copper and zinc, with zinc being in the highest concentration (46.80± 0.03 mg/kg and 58.00±0.12 mg/kg) followed by copper (9.45±0.11 mg/kg and 16.60 ± 0.03 mg/kg) each in V. amygdalina and O. gratissimum respectively. There are higher values of phytochemicals and food components in V. amygdalina while O. gratissimum had higher mineral contents. These two vegetables are potential source of components for complementary medicine.


2013 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly Oriakhi ◽  
Ehigbai Igbuan Oikeh ◽  
Nkeiruka Ezeugwu ◽  
Ogechukwu Anoliefo ◽  
Omorede Aguebor ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-46
Author(s):  
S.A. Ojukannaiye ◽  
L.A. Agbabiaka ◽  
I.I. Adedokun

The study evaluated nutritional and organoleptic properties of Clarias gariepinus pre-treated with aqueous leave extracts of Ocimum gratissimum and Vernonia amygdalina before processing. Thirty-six (36) C. gariepinus (live weight = 1.2± 0.2kg) samples were procured and processed for the study. Fish samples were divided into three parts of twelve fish each. Each part was grouped into three treatments having four fish in each group using a completely randomized design. Treatment one (T1) had fish immersed in 5% brine without herbal extract (control). In Treatment two (T2), fish were soaked in mixture of 5% brine and 5% O. gratissium (scent leaf) extracts while Treatment three (T3) had fish soaked in mixture of 5% brine and 5% V. amygdalina (bitter leaf) extracts all for 30 minutes. Treated fish samples were smoke-dried using charcoal kiln for 5 hours at temperature of 80 – 90° C. Samples were then cooled under ambient condition (30+3oC) for 4 hours. The smoke-dried fish samples were labeled according to treatments and stored for 7 days under aseptic condition. Organoleptic properties of the samples were conducted at every 24-hour of storage using a 9-point hedonic scale. Mean values of proximate composition of samples were significantly different (p<0.05). Protein content (70.01%) in T3 was higher than 68.31% and 66.62% in T2 and T1 respectively. Similarly, fat (5.12%) and ash (4.68%) levels for T3 were higher than 4.85% and 4.46% fat with 4.36% and 3.98% ash contents for T2 and T1 respectively. Results of mean scores for each organoleptic property decreased significantly (p<0.05) during storage period with no consistent trend in score pattern. Keywords: Clarias gariepinus, extract pretreatment, Ocimum gratissimum, organoleptic, Vernonia amygdalina.


2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 58
Author(s):  
K Oriakhi ◽  
EI Oikeh ◽  
N Ezeugwu ◽  
O Anoliefo ◽  
O Aguebor ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
C. I. Chikwendu ◽  
R. K. Obi ◽  
K. C. Ibe ◽  
J. C. Orji

Aeromonas spp, ubiquitous in both terrestrial and aquatic environments are becoming renowned as enteric pathogens of serious public health concern as they have a number of virulence and resistant determinants that are linked to both human and aquatic diseases due to consistent and incorrect use of antibiotics in aquaculture. The effect of crude aqueous and ethanol extracts of some medicinal plants on antimicrobial resistant Aeromonas spp. isolated from aquaculture water and fish samples was studied. Two hundred and forty (240) Aeromonas isolates, made up of 168 Aeromonas hydrophila and 72 Aeromonas salmonicida, were recovered from aquaculture water and fish gill samples collected from different commercial fish ponds using selective media. The isolates were assessed for their antibiotic susceptibility against ten (10) conventional antibiotics using the Kirby-Bauer technique. Extracts from three medicinal plants, Vernonia amygdalina, Ocimum gratissimum and Garcinia kola were also analyzed for their antimicrobial effects on the isolates that were resistant to the conventional antibiotics. Aeromonas hydrophila isolates expressed the highest resistant rates of 100%, 78.6% and 70.8% to aztreonam, cefotaxime and neomysin respectively, and the A. salmonicida isolates also had a similar trend of high resistant rates of 100%, 87.5% and 77.8% to aztreonam, neomysin and cefotaxime respectively. Antimicrobial resistant analyses with the plant extracts showed 100% inhibition of the isolates at 100 mg/ml for both aqueous and ethanol extracts. Phytochemical screening identified the presence of certain phytochemicals like alkaloids, saponins, tannins, flavonoids, steroids and glycosides which could have accounted for the antimicrobial effects of the plant extracts under study. It can be inferred then, that extracts from Vernonia amygdalina, Ocimum gratissimum and Garcinia kola can inhibit resistant aquaculture Aeromonas isolates and so can present an alternative source of antimicrobials in the effort to combat the increasing incidence of antimicrobial resistance in aquaculture.


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