Abstract
Chemical tests were carried out on the aqueous extracts of the air-dried powders of two tropical moss plants, Thidium gratum and Barbula indica using standard procedures, to identify the phytochemical constituents. The extracts were screened for the presence and quantities of alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, saponins and steroids with a view to assess their therapeutic values in ethnomedicine. The results of the phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, saponins and steroids in varying quantities in the two moss plants but there was absence of phenol in Barbula indica. These results suggest that the two moss plants can be veritable and potential source of useful drugs in treatment of ailments.
Highlights
Mosses are small non-woody plants that are typically 1 10 cm tall, though some species are much larger
Thidium gratum was collected on the bark of a tree (Mascularia acuminata) in the bank of Elemi River in Ilokun village, Ado-Ekiti while Barbula indica was collected from the wall of a building in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria
The results of the qualitative phytochemical screening of the two moss plants indicated the presence of medically active constituents such as alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, saponin and steroids
Summary
Mosses are small non-woody plants that are typically 1 10 cm tall, though some species are much larger Very little is known about the chemistry of bryophytes at molecular level [3,4,5] and information concerning research results is very scattered. The reasons for this are the difficulties researchers have with bryophyte identification, the limited amount of the same species available for analyses due to their inconspicuous position in the ecosystem and the difficulty with which analysis can be conducted since it relies on sophisticated method
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