QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE PHYTOCHEMICALS IN SOME SELECTED SPECIES OF THE GENUS PHYLLANTHUS IN ZARIA, NIGERIA
QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE PHYTOCHEMICALS IN SOME SELECTED SPECIES OF THE GENUS PHYLLANTHUS IN ZARIA, NIGERIA
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Date
2015-08
Authors
AJIBUA, Mercy Tope
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Abstract
Phyllanthus species are pan tropical plants originating from Western India. The genus Phyllanthus belongs to the family Euphorbiaceae. It is a large genus comprising of about 750 species in the tropical and subtropical regions. The aim of this research work was to compare the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the phytochemicals in the methanol and aqueous extracts of the roots, stem and leaves of the three selected species of the genus Phyllanthus i.e. Phyllanthus discoideus, Phyllanthus amarus and Phyllanthus muellerianus. The three species for this study were collected from the Main Campus of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and also from the outskirts of Zaria, Nigeria. The plant parts were shade dried, pulverized and the secondary metabolites were extracted using two different solvents (methanol and aqueous (water) ). The crude extracts of the plant parts (roots, stem and leaves) of the three selected Phyllanthus species from the methanol and aqueous solvents were subjected to Qualitative Phytochemical screening and Quantitative determination of the secondary metabolites, using standard procedures. Preliminary screening (qualitatively and quantitatively) of Phytochemicals is a useful and valuable step in the detection of bioactive principles and subsequently may lead to drug discovery and development. The data obtained revealed the presence of medicinally important bioactive compounds such as alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, phenols, glycosides, anthraquinones, triterpenes and sterols, although at varying levels/intensities, from the methanol and aqueous extracts of the roots, stem and leaves of the three selected Phyllanthus species. The presence of these medicinally active secondary metabolites justifies the use of the three Phyllanthus species as herbal treatment of various diseases. These secondary metabolites are known to exhibit medicinal activity as well as
Description
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF A MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN BOTANY
DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES,
FACULTY OF SCIENCE,
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA,
NIGERIA
Keywords
QUALITATIVE,, QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS,, PHYTOCHEMICALS,, SOME SELECTED SPECIES,, GENUS,, PHYLLANTHUS,, ZARIA,, NIGERIA