Phytochemical Screening Of Activity Directed Extracts A Of <i>Vernonia Amygdalina</i> Leaves

Abstract

Fractionation of the crude ethanolic extract of vernonia amygdalina using organic solvents of increasing polarities yielded activity directed fractions of benzene, chloroform, ethyl acetate, butanol, methanol and residue E. Phytochemical screening of the fractions show that there were significant differences (p≤0.05) qualitatively in the levels of tannins, flavonoids, cardiac glycosides, terpenoids, saponins and alkaloids in the various fractions. While the benzene extract had very low levels of tannins, saponins and alkaloids, the ethyl acetate fraction had low levels of tannins and terpenoids as well as very low levels of flavonoids, cardiac glycosides, and alkaloids. The butanol fraction had a high level of tannins, low level of flavonoids and saponins while the methanol fraction had high levels of tannins and flavonoids as well as low levels of cardiac glycosides, saponins and alkaloids with a very low level of terpenoids. The water soluble residue E had very high levels of tannins, a high level of saponins, low levels of alkaloids and very low levels of flavonoids, cardiac glycosides and terpenoids. Phytochemical content of the various fractions increased with increasing polarities of the organic solvent used. The relatively high Phytochemical content of the butanol, methanol and residue E fractions may be exploited for medicinal purposes.