Comparative Qualitative Analysis of the Phytochemical Load of Water, Methanol, Ethyl Acetate and Hexane Extracts of Six Selected Medicinal Plants

Engwa, G.A. and Nnamdi, Paul and Nnadi, Jacinta Chidubem and Offor, Titus Innocent and Eze, Blessing Chinenye (2013) Comparative Qualitative Analysis of the Phytochemical Load of Water, Methanol, Ethyl Acetate and Hexane Extracts of Six Selected Medicinal Plants. International Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemical Research, 5 (3). pp. 164-167. ISSN 0975-4873

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Abstract

The effectiveness of herbal medicine based on the paradigm of synergicity may depend on the phytochemical load of the plant. However, the effectiveness of the extraction method used by herbal practitioners who commonly macerate plants in water or dry gins or boil in water to prepare their treatment still remains unclear. To ascertain the effectiveness of these local practices, the phytochemical load of water, methanol, ethyl acetate and hexane solvent extraction methods were evaluated and compared for six plants locally used for the folk medicine. The plants were screened for tannins, flavonoid, cardiac glycosides, phenolics, steroids, terpenes, saponin, carbohydrates, phlobatannins and alkaloids. All 10 phytochemicals screened were presents for various solvent extractions methods. The most effective extraction methods were water and methanol with the highest phytochemical load for all six selected phytochemicals investigated. All 10 phytochemical were identified for water and methanol extracts of Psidium guajava, Vitex doniana and Kola acuminata. Hexane extraction showed the lowest phytochemical load. These results suggest that the local practices of herbal practitioners using water and dry gin (an alcohol) for the preparation of their treatments are effective in extracting necessary phytochemicals and are in conformity with basic scientific methods of extraction. However, treatments prepared with dry gin, an alcohol which is known to have adverse effect in the body may not be advisable for patients to consume and therefore water extraction will be ideal for such practices.

Item Type: Article
Subjects: L Education > L Education (General)
Q Science > Q Science (General)
Divisions: Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences
Depositing User: miss ifeoma agbo
Date Deposited: 18 Apr 2019 13:10
Last Modified: 18 Apr 2019 13:10
URI: http://eprints.gouni.edu.ng/id/eprint/1180

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