Botany-Scholarly Publications

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Browsing Botany-Scholarly Publications by Subject "Acalypha wilkesiana"

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    Open Access
    Effect of Open Shade Conditions on the Phytochemical Content of some Medicinal Plants
    (2011-01) Ade-Ademilua, O. E; Enigbokan, T; Fatusin, C. K; Okwutachi, N. T
    Vernonia amygdalina (bitter leaf), Telferia occidentalis (Fluted pumpkin) and Acalypha wilkesiana plants were grown under open field and open shade. V. amygdalina is used to treat stomach infections, T. occidentalis (Fluted pumpkin) is used as blood tonic and Acalypha wilkesiana is effective in the treatment of skin infections. Plants were grown in planting bags placed in these sites. Results show that all the plant species have better vegetative growth under direct sunlight. However, phytochemical screenings of the leaves of the plants reveal that the effect of open shade conditions enhance the synthesis and accumulation of bioactive compounds with medicinal values. The effect is however not specific to the type of phytochemical but it is actually species specific. Open shade condition enhances the production and accumulation of flavonoids while it inhibits that of anthraquinone in V. amygdalina. Also, flavonoid content of T. occidentalis plants was enhanced under open shade conditions. The same conditions did not affect the flavonoid and anthraquinones content of A. wilkesiana but leaves of the plant under open shade conditions had higher concentration of tannin than those grown under open field condition. Saponin was also found present in A. wilkesiana plants grown under open shade conditions while absent in those under open field conditions. The conclusion is that though direct sunlight helped ensure better vegetative growth, open shade enhanced synthesis and accumulation of bio active compounds with medicinal values.