Abstract
Alkaloids, tannins, saponins, steroid, terpenoid, flavonoids, phlobatannin and cardic glycoside distribution in ten medicinal plants belonging to different families were assessed and compared. The medicinal plants investigated were Cleome nutidosperma, Emilia coccinea, Euphorbia heterophylla, Physalis angulata, Richardia bransitensis, Scopania dulcis, Sida acuta, Spigelia anthelmia, Stachytarpheta cayennensis and Tridax procumbens. All the plants were found to contain alkaloids, tannins and flavonoids except for the absence of tannins in S. acuta and flavonoids in S. cayennsis respectively. The significance of the plants in traditional medicine and the importance of the distribution of these chemical constituents were discussed with respect to the role of these plants in ethnomedicine in Nigeria. Key words: Medicinal plants, ethnomedicine, phytochemical constituents.
Highlights
Medicinal plants are of great importance to the health of individuals and communities
Emilia coccinea, Euphrobia heterophylla, Physcalis bransilensis, Scorparia dulcis, Richardia bransilensis, Sida acuta, Spigelia anthelmia, Stachytarpheta cayennensis and Tridxa procumbens are extensively used in herbal medicine in South Eastern Nigeria
This study investigates the fundamental scientific bases for the use of some Nigeria medicinal plants by defining and quantifying the percentage of crude phytochemical constituents present in these plants
Summary
Medicinal plants are of great importance to the health of individuals and communities. The most important of these bioactive constituents of plants are alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, and phenolic compounds (Hill, 1952). Many of these indigenous medicinal plants are used as spices and food plants. Emilia coccinea, Euphrobia heterophylla, Physcalis bransilensis, Scorparia dulcis, Richardia bransilensis, Sida acuta, Spigelia anthelmia, Stachytarpheta cayennensis and Tridxa procumbens are extensively used in herbal medicine in South Eastern Nigeria. This study investigates the fundamental scientific bases for the use of some Nigeria medicinal plants by defining and quantifying the percentage of crude phytochemical constituents present in these plants
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