Phytochemical, Proximate and Metal Content of Ricinus communis (Castor Plant), Caladium bicolor (Elephant Ear) and Gloriosa superba (Climbing Lily) in Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria

Authors: Ogbonna PC, Okoroafor MA, Nwankwo OU, Obasi KO

DOI Info: N/A

ABSTRACT

The world health organisation (WHO) reported that three quarters of the world population depend on herbal medicine for the treatment of different ailment and diseases because it is affordable and contain active ingredients. Notwithstanding this, the quality of the plants in relation to mineral and metal composition is very important since it is used for human health care. This study, therefore, assessed the phytochemical, proximate, and metal content of Ricinus communis, Caladium bicolor and Gloriosa superba sampled from Umudike in Ikwuano Local Government area of Abia State. A factorial experiment in randomised complete block design (RCBD) was used to collect leaf samples from R. communis, C. bicolor and G. superba. The samples were put in envelopes, labelled appropriately, placed in well cleaned, large ASEPA cellophane bag and taken to the laboratory for pretreatment and analysis. The result indicate that C. bicolor had the highest significant (p<0.05) content of ash (9.87±0.01%), fibre (6.96±0.01%), lipid (5.47±0.01%), alkaloid (4.44±0.01%), flavonoid (6.5±0.01%), phenol (25.19±0.01mg/100g), and Zn (10.70±0.01mg/kg while protein (28.49±0.01%), calorific value (366.42±0,01kcal), saponin (4.25±0.01%), tannin (84.18±0.01mg/100g) and copper (19.10±0.01mg/kg) were significantly (P<0.05) highest in R. communis. Consequently, C. bicolor and R. communis are promising plant species for herbal treatment and are recommended for manufacturing of drugs by pharmaceutical industries in Nigeria since the two plant species had higher content of phytochemical and proximate composition, while their metal content is below the permissible limit by FAO/WHO.

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