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Investigation of some important phytochemical, nutritional properties and toxicological potentials of ethanol extracts of Newbouldia laevis leaf and stem

2013; Academic Journals; Volume: 12; Issue: 40 Linguagem: Inglês

10.5897/ajb2013.12308

1684-5315

Emeka Godwin Anaduaka, Emeka Godwin Anaduaka, Victor Nwadiogbu Ogugua, Victor Nwadiogbu Ogugua, Egba, I. Egbachukwu Simeon, Victor Onukwube Apeh, Victor Nwadiogbu Ogugua,

Seed and Plant Biochemistry

The pytochemicals, nutritional and toxicological potentials of the ethanol extracts of the leaf and stem of Newbouldia laevis was investigated in this study. The percentage yields of N. laevis ethanol leaf and stem extracts were found to be 7.44 and 3.30% (w/w), respectively. The preliminary phytochemical screening showed that ethanol leaf and stem extracts contains alkaloids, flavonoids and tannins. The quantitative phytochemical analysis showed that the leaf and stem extracts contained respectively: alkaloids (14.74­­ ± 0.06 and 6.27­­ ± 0.0 mg/g), flavonoids (15.51 ± 0.04 and 5.18 ± 0.04 mg/g), cardiac glycosides (6.77 ± 0.02 mg/g), tannins (1.74 ± 0.11 mg/g), saponins (4.07 ± 0.06 mg/g), steroids (41.72 ± 0.02 mg/g) and terpenoids (8.67 ± 0.09 mg/g). The following amounts of vitamins and minerals were found in the leave and stem-bark extracts, respectively; vitamin A (5.19­ ­± 0.00 and 3.01 ­­± 0.00 mg/100 g), vitamin C (2.35 ­­± 0.55 and 1.05­ ­± 0.08 mg/100 g) and vitamin E (9.33­­ ± 0.02 and 4.08­ ± 0.11 mg/100 g); minerals: Mg (76.12 ± 0.04 and 54.25 ± 0.04 mg/100 g), Fe (16.84 ± 0.06 and 1.19 ± 0.03 mg/100 g) and Se (3.08 ± 0.03 and 0.29 ± 0.07 mg/100 g). The acute toxicity test of the ethanol leaf and stem extracts showed no toxicity up to 5000 mg/kg body weight. Key words: Newbouldia laevis, phytochemical properties, vitamins, minerals, toxicity.