Chemical composition of ten medicinal plant seeds from South-west Nigeria

Abstract

The phytochemical, proximate and mineral element composition of ten different medicinal plant seeds were assessed and compared. The medicinal plant seeds investigated are Canna bidentata, Ceasalpinia bunduc, Cola millenii, Hunteria umbellata, Hydrocotyle asiata, Megaphrynium macrostarchyum, Perinari excelsa, Rauwolfia vomitoria, Solanum dasyphyllum and Sphenocentrum  jollyanum. The result of the phytochemical analysis showed that all the selected plant seeds contain alkaloids and saponin except Megaphrynium macrostarchyu while phenolic group is present in Perinari excelsa only. The moisture content of the samples ranged between (12.51-26.7 %), crude protein (8.65-48.09 %), crude fibre (2.69-12.66%), crude fat (2.65-18.10%), ash content (3.26-11.45 %) and carbohydrate (16.79-59.38%). Mineral element analysis showed that the selected plant seeds contained low levels of potassium (2.14-8.12 mg/L), zinc (1.38-5.53 mg/L), iron (0.22-1.90 mg/L) and manganese (0.14-1.40 mg/L) and high level of calcium (3.25-68.55mg/L). All the selected plant seeds have potential of serving as supplementary sources of antimicrobial drugs and essential nutrients to man and livestock.

Keywords: mineral elements, phytochemical, proximate composition, plant seed