Comparative Evaluation of Phytochemical and Mineral Constituents of the Leaves of some Medicinal Plants in Abia State Nigeria

Abstract

The leaves of six medicinal plant species Anacardium occidentale, Azadirachta indica, Carica papaya, Cymbopogon citratus, Psidium guajava and Vernonia amygdaline, widely used in Abia State, Nigeria were analyzed with a view to compare their phytochemical and mineral constituents. Result indicates that the bioactive contents of the leaves varied significantly (p< 0.05) among the medicinal plants; Cymbopogon citratus contained significantly higher concentration of phenols (0.27a±0 01), steroids (0.37a±0.02) and flavonoids (0.84a±0.02) than the other medicinal plants used for this study while there was no significant difference in phenol concentration between Cymbopogon citratus and Vernonia amgydalina. The concentration of alkaloids was significantly higher in Vernonia amgydalina (2.78a±0.02) than other species. Pisdium guajava had the lowest concentration of alkaloids (2.78a±0.02). While the result of minerals shows that the plants contained Ca, Mg, Na, K, and P. Vernonia amygdaline, Carica papaya and Anacardium occidentale have highest amount of Ca (0.21a±0.02 , 0.20a±0.02 and 0.19a±0.02) respectively and there was no significant difference in their calcium contents. Azadirachta indica had highest significant amount of Mg (0.45a±0.01) and K (0.34a±0.01) while Cymbopogon citratus had the least of all the mineral contents analyzed Vernonia amygdalina,Carica papaya and Anacardium occidentale had highest amount of Ca(0.21a±0.02, 0.20a±0.02 and 0.19a±0.02) respectively, however, there was no significant difference of calcium contained in the three species. Carica papaya had highest significant amount of phosphorus (0.38a±0.02) and there was no significant difference between Vernonia sp (0.30b±0.01), Psidium guajava (0.28b±0.01) and Anacardium sp (0.27b±0.02). Azadirachta indica had the highest significant amount of Mg(0.45a±0.01) and K(0.34a±0.01) and Vernonia sp highest significant amount of Na ( 0.46a±0.01) while Cymbopogon sp had the lowest amount of Mg( 0.13e±0.01), Na (0.11e±0.01) , K ( 0.18c±0.01) and P ( 0.15c±0.01).