African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 4 (7), pp. 685-688, July 2005          
ISSN 1684–5315 © 2005 Academic Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Phytochemical constituents of some Nigerian medicinal plants

H.O. Edeoga¹*, D. E. Okwu² and B.O Mbaebie¹

Department of ¹Biological and ²Chemical Sciences Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike P.M.B 7267,Umuahia,  Abia State, Nigeria.

*Corresponding Author Email: professoredeoga@yahoo.com.

Accepted  21 February, 2005

Alkaloids, tannins, saponins, steroid, terpenoid, flavonoids, phlobatannin and cardic glycoside distribution in ten medicinal plants belonging to different families were assessed and compared. The medicinal plants investigated were Cleome nutidosperma, Emilia coccinea, Euphorbia heterophylla, Physalis angulata, Richardia bransitensis, Scopania dulcis, Sida acuta, Spigelia anthelmia, Stachytarpheta cayennensis and Tridax procumbens. All the plants were found to contain alkaloids, tannins and flavonoids except for the absence of tannins in S. acuta and flavonoids in S. cayennsis  respectively. The significance of the plants in traditional medicine and the importance of the distribution of these chemical constituents were discussed with respect to the role of these plants in ethnomedicine in Nigeria.

Key words: Medicinal plants, ethnomedicine, phytochemical constituents.