Chemistry and Biochemistry: Research Progress Vol. 11

The plant kingdom is a source of potential drugs, and awareness of the importance of medicinal plants has increased in recent years. Plant-derived drugs are readily available, less expensive, safe and efficient, and they rarely have side effects. This study investigated the phytoconstituents, cytotoxicity and proximate composition of selected plant extracts to determine their medicinal potential and nutritive value. Extracts of Sassafras albidum (Lauraceae), Detarium microcarpum (Caesalpinioideae) and Echinacea angustifolia DC (Compositae) were screened for secondary metabolites and assessed using the brine shrimp toxicity assay (BST). The stem barks of the three plants were collected in Kashere, Akko Local Government Area, Gombe State, Nigeria. Dried powdered samples of the same plants were analysed for their proximate composition. The results showed the presence of important secondary metabolites, including alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, saponins, phlobatannins, anthraquinones, resins, terpenoids and glycosides. Cytotoxicity screening showed that E. angustifolia was most toxic to the nauplii. The proximate composition of Sassafras albidum revealed 62.5% moisture, 71.0% ash, 67.0% fibre, 13.33% fat and 0.79% protein. Detarium microcarpum contained 2.0% moisture, 3.5% ash, 0.83% protein, 6.67% fat and 79% carbohydrate, while Echinacea angustifolia DC contained 32.5% moisture, 93.0% ash, 10.0% fibre, 3.33% fat and 3.33% protein. The cytotoxicity assay revealed LC50 values of 63.1µg/ml, 158.49 µg/ml and 316.23 µg/ml for Sassafras albidum, Detarium microcarpum and Echinacea angustifolia DC, respectively. The study concluded that the investigated plants possess medicinal potential and nutritive value. Hence, Traditional Medicine Practitioners (TMP) have reasons for using these plants as remedies for ailments and as food.