Abstract
This study was focused on the ethanobotanical survey, phytochemical and proximate analysis of Jatropha tanjorensis in Mubi. The ethnobotanical survey was carried out in some selected parts of both Mubi North and South local government area through oral interview using traditional medicine practioners and some householders as the interviewee. After air drying, pulverizing and extracting the bioactive constituents of the leaf using ethanol and water as solvents, the phytochemical and proximate analysis were carried out using a standard procedures. The ethnobotanical survey showed that, J. tanjorensis were used in the study area as a remedy to diseases such as: measles, scabies, malaria, high blood pressure, stomach ache, diabetes mellitus, eczema and anaemia with 74 % of the interviewee mentioning leaves as part mostly used. The qualitative phytochemical screening indicated the presence of compounds, namely: tannins, alkaloids, phenols, flavonoids, saponins, terpenoids, glycosides and anthraquinones in both the ethanoic and aqueous leaf extracts except terpenoids which was not detected in the ethanolic extract. The quantitative analysis showed glycosides (4.12 mg/100 g) and flavonoids (3.45 mg/100 g) as the highest compound in the ethanolic and aqueous extracts respectively. Carbohydrate was shown to be the highest proximate constituent with 52.38 % and fat the least with 1.76 %. Therefore, J. tanjorensis is rich in bioactive constituents and the leaves are mostly the plant part used as a remedy to illnesses such measles, scabies, malaria, high blood pressure, stomach ache, diabetes mellitus, eczema and anaemia.
Highlights
The vast reservoir of essential elements, nutrients and phytochemicals in plants makes its number one excipient for most pharmaceutical drugs [1]
The ethnobotanical survey showed that, J. tanjorensis were used in the study areas as a remedy to diseases such as: measles, scabies, malaria, high blood pressure, stomach ache, diabetes mellitus, eczema and anaemia with 74 % of the interviewee mentioning leaves as part mostly used
J. tanjorensis is rich in bioactive constituents and the leaves are mostly the plant part used as a remedy to illnesses such measles, scabies, malaria, high blood pressure, stomach ache, diabetes mellitus, eczema and anaemia
Summary
The vast reservoir of essential elements, nutrients and phytochemicals in plants makes its number one excipient for most pharmaceutical drugs [1]. Relative to its spread and varying physiochemistry stands out exceptionally as the most accessible source of Medicare for a common man, especially in developing countries like Nigeria [2].It will suffice to further say that, essential elements, nutrients phytochemicals defined the specific therapeutic efficacy of individual plant species in the treatment and management of various diseases [3],[2] Based on this understanding, the search and identification of active bio-molecules in plants, nowadays took a slightly different itinerary where the science of ethnobotany are used as a guide to lead researches towards different sources and classes of compounds with great medicinal importance [4],[2]. The flowers are greenish cymes, bell-shaped, sepals broadly deltoid
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