PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING AND PROXIMATE ANALYSIS OF THE LEAVES OF Launaea (Lactuca) taraxacifolia.

Abstract

Launaea (Lactuca) taraxacifolia also known as wild (African) lettuce is anethno-pharmacologically significant plant of the Asteraceae family. The plant was carefully chosen for this study due to its extensive use in traditional herbal practices to treat a wide range of ailments. The extraction of the leaves for phytochemical screening was carried out by subjecting the air dried pulverized plant materials into trichloromethane, normal hexane, ethyl ethanoate and methanol solvents for a period of some days, followed by filtration and concentration. Qualitative phytochemical screening of the extracts of the above solvents revealed the presence of saponins, phenols, alkaloids, cardiac glycosides, terpenoids, tannins, plant steroids and flavonoids. Quantitative analysis of the phytochemicals showed that saponins occurred withthe greatest concentration of 4.26 ± 0.08 %, followed by cardiac glycosides with a concentration of 2.27 ± 0.02 %; while phenols had the least concentration of 0.13 ± 0.01%. The proximate analysis was carried out using the dried leaves and the results obtained revealed the presence of crude protein (38.40 ± 1.20 %), crude fibre (1.565 ± 0.08 %), crude fat (4.60 ± 0.04 %), crude ash (5.02 ± 0.070 %), moisture (14.91 ± 0.50) and available carbohydrates (35.50 ± 1.26 %). The calorific value of the leaves in gram per calories was estimated to be 337 ± 0.70. The extraction, purification, concentration, phytochemical screening and nutritional analysis were carried out at Post-graduates, chemistry and bio-chemistry laboratories, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria.