QUALITATIVE PHYTOCHEMICAL INQUIRY, ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY AND TOTAL ALKALOID CONTENT OF PYRENACANTHA STAUDTII HUTCH AND DALZ

ABSTRACT

Pyrenacantha staudtii Hutch and Dalz leaves are used in the preparation of traditional medicine to heal ailments such as malaria, wounds, worms, ulcers, inflammations and fever. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the qualitative phytochemical inquiry, antioxidant activity and total alkaloid content of Pyrenacantha staudtii hutch and dalz In the leaf extract of Pyrenacantha staudtii hutch and dalz. The heamatological studies, Phytochemical screening using n-hexane and methanol extract consisted of alkaloid test, terpenoid test, flavonoid test, tannin test, and saponin test, steroids test, total phenolic compounds as well as antioxidant activity and total alkaloids content were carried out using established methods. The antioxidant activity of the leave extract and ascorbic acid was also analyzed with the use of DPPH radical scavenging activity. This process was done by varying the concentration in a range of 1mg/ml to 200mg/ml and by observing the %inhibition at these different concentrations. The result obtained for the antioxidant shows that the leaves has a high antioxidant activity as the highest %inhibition of the leaves was recorded at 15.3% ,compare to ascorbic acid that showed a %inhibition as low as 11.08%. The result obtained in this study for the total alkaloid content of the noni plant extract shows the presence of 10.28% alkaloid. Pyrenacantha staudtii is a promising medicinal plant with a wide range of potential health benefits. The medicinal potentials of this plant supports the discovery of new drugs