Phytochemical and antioxidant nutrient constituents of Carica papaya and Parquetina nigrescens extracts
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Date
2010-08-18
Authors
Imaga, Ngozi Awa
Gbenle, George O.
Okochi, Veronica I.
Adenekan, Sunday
Duro-Emmanuel, Tomi
Oyeniyi, Bola
Dokai, Patience N.
Oyenuga, Mojisola
Otumara, Alero
Ekeh, Felix C.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Academic Journals
Abstract
Medicinal plants (a.k.a. Phytomedicines) are parts of a plant or the whole plant that possess healing
properties. Folk medicine reportedly uses Carica papaya L. (Caricaceae) and Parquetina nigrescens L.
(Asclepiadaceae) as a herbal remedy for the management of sickle cell anemia. This study was carried
out to screen the leaf extracts of P. nigrescens and C. papaya L. (Caricaceae) for possible antioxidant
phytochemicals, proximate nutrient constituents, amino acid composition and mineral content present
in the samples using standard chemical and chromatographic procedures. Phytochemical screening
confirmed the presence of folic acid, vitamin B12, alkaloids, saponins, glycosides, tannins and
anthraquinones. This study also showed that each of these plants extracts contained flavonoids and
the antioxidant vitamins A and C. Some of the previously established antisickling amino acids were
also present in the plants. Cyanogenic glycosides were absent from both plant extracts, indicative of
the non-toxic effects of these plants when taken orally. These results indicate that the previously
reported antisickling properties of these herbs may be due to their inherent antioxidant nutrient
composition, thus supporting the claims of the traditional healers and suggests a possible correlation
between the chemical composition of these plants and their uses in traditional medicine.
Description
Keywords
Research Subject Categories::NATURAL SCIENCES::Chemistry::Biochemistry , Amino acids , Antioxidants , Micronutrients , Phytochemical , Vitamins
Citation
Ngozi Awa Imaga, George O. Gbenle, Veronica I. Okochi, Sunday Adenekan, Tomi Duro-Emmanuel, Bola Oyeniyi, Patience N. Dokai, Mojisola Oyenuga, Alero Otumara and Felix C. Ekeh Scientific Research and Essays. 5(6) 2201-2205. 2010.