CHEMICAL EVALUATION AND PHYTOTOXIC ACTIVITY OF ROOT EXTRACTS OF MUCCUNA PRUREINS (VELVET BEANS)

ABSTRACT Medicinal based plants also called medicinal herbs are of great use today, particularly in developing countries of the world this is because they are readily available, cheap, and safe. Mucuna pruiens which is also known as Cowitch or velvet bean. It is an annual, climbing shrub with long vines that can reach over 15m in length, found in Africa, India and the Caribbean. The plant is notorious for the extreme pruritus or itchiness it causes on body contact, particularly with the seed pods and young foliage. This research aims to evaluate the Phytotoxic activity and proximate content of the root extract of mucuna prureins. Fresh root were collected from open fields and cultivated farms and the roots were identified and prepared following standard procedures. The dried and pulverized roots were extracted in distilled water, methanol, petroleum ether and chloroform for the phytochemical analysis. The dried samples were further analysed for proximate studies. The moisture content was determined by oven drying, lipid content was determined using Soxhlet apparatus (AOAC 1975). The ash content was determined by heating dried sample in a silica dish at 600ºC for 6hrs (AOAC 1975) while total dietary fibre was estimated by the non enzymatic-gravimetric method. The Phytotoxic activity revealed presence of flavonoids, tannins, saponins, phenols, terpenoids and alkaloids. The qualitative analysis however indicated that phenol is the most abundant in the root 16.61 ±0.02 followed by Saponins 5.97±0.04 and Flavonoids 4.77 ±0.06. Alkaloids and Tannins however has lower values of 2.65 ± 0.1and0.22± 0.011respectively. Theproximate analysisrevealedthe root haslow moisture content and fat, however, it is rich in dietary fibre, carbohydrate, protein and mineral. It is also recommended that further research is done on the plant to fully optimize its medicinal potential. TABLE OF CONTENTS CERTIFICATION ii DEDICATION iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iv ABSTRACT v LIST OF FIGURES vi TABLE OF CONTENTS vii CHAPTER ONE 1 INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Background of the Study 1 1.2 Statement of Research Problem 1.3 Justification of the Study 1.4 Aim and Objectives 1.4.1 Aim 1.4..2 Objectives 1.5 Scope of the Study CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1. Botanical Description and Distribution 2.1.1 Traditional Applications of Velvet bean (Mucuna Prurien) 2.2. Phytochemicals in Medicinal Plants 2.2.1 Alkaloids 2.2.2 Tannins 2.2.3 Flavonoids 2.2.4 Saponins 2.2.5 Phytosteroids 2.2.6 Terpenoids 2.2.7 Cardiac Glycosides 2.3 Phytotoxicity of Medicinal Plants 2.4 Extraction Techniques for Medicinal Plants 2.4.1. Maceration 2.4.2. Infusion 2.4.3 Digestion 2.4.4 Decoction 2.4.5 Percolation CHAPTER THREE MATERIALS AND METHODS 3.1 Materials 3.2. Sample Collection and Location 3.3 Sample Preparation 3.4 Extraction Preparation 3.5 Chemical Evaluation 3.2.1 Total phenolics Content 3.2.2. Total Flavonoids Content 3.2.3. Estimation of Tannins Content 3.2.4. Estimation of Total Saponins Content 3.2.5. Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) 3.3. Phytotoxic Activity Evaluation 3.3.1. Germination Bioassy CHAPTER FOUR RESULT AND DISCUSSION 4.1 Chemical Evaluation of Root Extracts 4.1.1 Qualitative Phytochemical 4.2. Allelophatic Effects of Mucuna Prurien on Germination and Seedling Growth of Lactua Sativa 4.3. Germination Bioassay CHAPTER FIVE CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 5.1. Conclusion 5.2. Recommendations REFERENCES LIST OF TABLES Table 4.1 Phytochemical constituent of Mucuna prurein root extract from different solvents Table 4.2: Quantitative phytochemicals in M.prurein root extract using different solvents Table 4.3: Effects of velvet bean root extracts on germination and seedling growth of Lettuce (L. sativa) Table 4.4: Effects of velvet bean root extracts on germination and seedling growth of Maize (Z.mays). Table 4.5 Probit analysis for the seed germination of L. sativa, exposed to four concentration of M. prureins extracts. Table 4.6: Probit analysis for the seed germination of maize, exposed to four concentration of M. prureins aqueous extracts CHEMICAL EVALUATION AND PHYTOTOXIC ACTIVITY OF ROOT EXTRACTS OF MUCCUNA PRUREINS (VELVET BEANS)