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The leaves of Tridax procumbens were screened for the presence of bioactive molecules. They had high flavonoids, alkaloids, hydroxycinnamates, tannins and phytosterols, moderate benzoic acid derivatives and lignans, and low carotenoids contents. Thirty nine known alkaloids (mainly akuammidine, 68.756%), twenty three known flavonoids (mainly 17.593% kaempferol and 12.538% (−)-epicatechin), five known carotenoids (mainly lutein, 62.608%), four known benzoic acid derivatives (mainly ferulic acid, 46.091%), two phytosterols (mainly stigmasterol, 80.853%) and six known lignans (mainly galgravin, 77.326%) were detected. Also detected were caffeic acid and tannic acid. The medicinal properties of the flavonoids, phytosterols, alkaloids, tannins, hydroxicinnamates, carotenoids, benzoic acid derivatives and lignans that were present in the leaves were discussed herein and proposed to be explored for their potential medicinal values. The great number of potentially active nutrients and their multifunctional properties make Tridax procumbens a perfect candidate for the production of health-promoting food and food supplements.

An aqueous leaf extract of Talinum triangulare was screened for the presence of bioactive molecules, using gas chromatography coupled with pulse and flame ionization detectors. It had high carotenoids; moderate benzoic acid derivatives, hydroxycinnamates and flavonoids; and low terpenes, alkaloids, phytosterols, allicins, glycosides, saponins, and lignans contents. Ten known carotenoids (mainly 50.42% carotene and 33.30% lycopene), nine benzoic acid derivatives (mainly 84.63% ferulic acid and 11.92% vanillic acid), and six hydroxycinnamates (55.44% p‐coumaric acid and 44.46% caffeic acid) were detected. Also detected were eight lignans (88.02% retusin) and thirty flavonoids (50.35% quercetin and 39.36% kaempferol). The medicinal properties of the major components of these phytochemical families that were detected in the aqueous extract of the leaves were discussed herein and proposed to be explored for their potential health benefits. The great number of potentially active biomolecules and their multifunctional properties make Talinum triangulare a ready source of health‐promoting substances.

The effect of aqueous extract of the leaves of Chromolaena odorata on body weight, organ sizes, lipid profiles and atherogenic indices was investigated in normal and sub-chronic salt-loaded rats. The normal and treatment control groups were fed 100% of commercial feed, while the test control, reference and test treatment groups received an 8% salt-loaded diet. The extract (at 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight) and moduretics (at 1 mg/kg body weight) were orally administered daily. The normal and test control groups orally received appropriate volumes of water. The extract was screened for bioactive components using gas chromatography-coupled-flame ionization detector. The main glycosides, saponins, allicins, alkaloids, benzoic acid derivatives, terpenes and lignans detected were arbutin, avenacin B-1 (and avenacin A-1), diallyl thiosulphinate, lupanine, ferulic acid (and vanillic acid), limonene and retusin, respectively. Compared to test control, the extract dose-dependently, significantly (P < 0.05) lowered the heart size, plasma levels of triglyceride, total density lipoprotein, very low density lipoprotein, low density lipoprotein and non-high density lipoprotein cholesterol and atherogenic indices (cardiac risk ratio, atherogenic coefficient and atherogenic index of plasma). It also significantly increased plasma high density lipoprotein level. These results suggest a protective mechanism of the extract against hypertension induced cardiomegaly and dyslipidemia, thus suggesting that this may underlie its antihypertensive action.

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