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The preliminary study on the nutrient content and medicinal properties of two Nigerian spices, Zanthoxylum Zanthoxyloide (Rogoise) and Fagara Macrophyllum (Tirekoro).
Author(s) -
Nwosu Chinelo Jacinta
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.20.5.a941-d
Subject(s) - saponin , zanthoxylum , traditional medicine , medicinal plants , botany , chemistry , biology , medicine , alternative medicine , pathology
The tropical rainforest region of Africa is rich in plants with medicinal properties and many of these plants are yet to be discovered. The different parts of the plants are used for diverse purposes. The seeds are used mainly as spices and for medicinal purposes as stimulants and detoxifiers. The advocacy for the use of natural products in the treatment and cure of many diseases is on the increase, thus this research on plants and their medicinal properties. In this study, we looked at the nutrient composition and the potential medicinal properties of two plants used as spices in Nigeria, Zanthoxylum Zanthoxyloide and Fagara Macrophylla. The carbohydrate content of Zanthoxylum Zanthoxyloide was 21.40%, protein content was 7.05% and lipid content was 8.30% while carbohydrate content of Fagara Macrophylla was 19.89%, protein content was 26.03% and lipid was 6.55%. The medicinal potential of these plants was determined by analyzing their saponin and alkaloid content which gave positive results using Meyer's and Wagner's reagents. The saponin content of Zanthoxylum Zanthoxyloide was 19.63% and 3.13% in Fagara Macrophylla. The qualitative alkaloid test was positive for the two plants. In conclusion, the plants do contain appreciable quantities of carbohydrates and protein for Fagara Macrophylla and the presence of alkaloid and saponin indicate that they do have medicinal properties which can be investigated further.