Qualitative phytochemical and GC-MS analysis of some commonly consumed vegetables

Ezekwe Ahamefula Sunday Ezekwe Ahamefula Sunday,Karimah Mohammed Rabiu Karimah Mohammed Rabiu,Ewa Ogbonnaya Ewa Ogbonnaya,Rizwan, A Ansari Rizwan, A Ansari

doi:10.30574/gscbps.2020.12.3.0299

Ezekwe Ahamefula Sunday Ezekwe Ahamefula Sunday, Karimah Mohammed Rabiu Karimah Mohammed Rabiu + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.30574/gscbps.2020.12.3.0299

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Abstract

The aim of this research work is to unveil the phytoconstituents of some commonly consumed leafy vegetables which are Talinum triangulare (water leaf), Telfairia occidentalis (fluted pumpkin) and Occimum gratissimum (scent leaf). Freshly harvested vegetables were separately processed into fine powder. 15 g, each of the vegetable powder samples was extracted with methanol. Phytochemical and GC-MS analysis was carried out on the samples using standard procedures. The analysis showed that methanolic leaf extract of fluted pumpkin contains tannins, saponins, phenolics, proteins, anthraquinone and alkaloids with the presence of tannins and saponins being more abundant. However, enquiry into the phytoconstituents of Talinum triangulare leaf indicated that all phytochemicals investigated were reportedly present with saponins and alkaloids being more abundant. For O. gratissimum leaf, tannins, saponins, flavonoids, steroids, phenolics, proteins, anthraquinone and alkaloids were reportedly present. However, like T. occidentalis, tannins and saponins were more abundant. GC-MS analysis carried out on the methanolic leaf extract of T. occidentalis revealed that nine compounds were present. The five most abundant of the nine compounds include n-Hexanoic acid (35.23%), 9, 12, 15-octadecatrienal (12.4%), imidazolidinedione-5-methyl (10.96%), L-Proline, 5-oxo-, methyl ester (9.76%) and 3- [Prop-2-enoyloxy] tetradecane (8.96%). Meanwhile, O. gratissimum showed the presence of only phenol-2-methyl-5-(1-methylethyl) (90.73%) as the major constituent, while eight (8) compounds were found present in the methanolic leaf extract of T. triangulare (water leaf) and the five more abundant of the eight include pentanoic acid (28.28%), DL-proline,5-oxo-methyl-buthylester (24.89%), 3 pyridinecarboxyaldehyde, O-cetyloxine (E) (21%), Z-dodecanol (12.68%) and 4-pyridinol (4.61%). Findings from this research further support the claim on vegetables as repositories of nutraceuticals.

Highlights

Vegetables are herbaceous plants or a portion of a plant that can be consumed whole or in part, either raw or cooked in order to obtain potentially health aiding compounds called nutraceuticals for effective growth and protection of the body against diseases [1]
The analysis showed that methanolic leaf extract of fluted pumpkin contains tannins, saponins, phenolics, proteins, anthraquinone and alkaloids with the presence of tannins and saponins being more abundant
Talinum triangularea cosmopolitan weed and a member of the family Portlacaceae, Telfairia occidentalis a Curcurbitaceous family member and native to the West African high rainfall forest belt and Occimum gratissimum a perennial aromatic herb belonging to the family Labiatae are the most commonly consumed leafy vegetables by the people of different ethnic background in Nigeria but in the entirety of the African continent [3] who have reposed their confidence in these plants for their prophylactic and therapeutic strength against some notable diseases such as measles, anemia and cholera respectively etc [4], a critical factor that stimulates the need for this research which aims at unveiling the phytoconstituents in the aforementioned vegetables to further deepen the understanding of their therapeutic values

Summary

Introduction

Vegetables are herbaceous plants or a portion of a plant that can be consumed whole or in part, either raw or cooked in order to obtain potentially health aiding compounds called nutraceuticals for effective growth and protection of the body against diseases [1]. The fact that vegetables constitute the major proportion of the diet of the populace in many parts of the world strongly correlates with the increasing public awareness on their health benefits. Research has linked consumption of vegetable rich diets to lowered incidence of cardiovascular diseases, while intake of vegetable deficient diets has been implicated in 31% of ischaemic heart disease and 11% of stroke cases [2]. Corresponding author: Ezekwe Ahamefula Sunday Department of Medical Biochemistry, Rivers State University.

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