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.

-The knowledge of the chemical composition of unpopular sources of edible oils has become paramount to supplement the usage of widely known vegetable oils. In this study, the gas chromatographic quantification of fatty acids and phytochemicals was carried out, and the physicochemical and micronutrient composition of Duranta repens leaf and seed oil were evaluated using standard methods. The leaf oils contained significantly higher (p < 0.05) peroxide, iodine and thiobarbituric acid values, refractive index, and moisture contents, while the saponification value, specific gravity, melting point and pH were significantly higher in the seed oil. The seed oils contained higher Mg, K, Na and vitamin K contents while the leaf oil contained higher Fe, vitamin A and vitamin D contents. The occurrence of the fatty acids were as follows: palmitic > oleic > myristic > stearic > capric > linoleic > lauric > palmitoleic for the seed oil, while for the leaf oil linoleic > palmitoleic > oleic > stearic > palmitic > myristic > capric > lauric > myristoleic. The major phytochemical constituents of the seed oils were catechin (68.12 ug/ml), saponin (44.03 ug/ml), rutin (32.89 ug/ml), linamarin (22.66 ug/ml) and tannins (19.62 ug/ml), while kaempherol (84.05 ug/ml), rutin (62.26 ug/ml) and saponins (45.63 ug/ml) were mostly predominant in the leaf oil. Spartein, anthocyanins and phytates were among the least phytochemicals in composition, for both samples. These chemical properties evaluated, suggest that Duranta repens seed oil is more suitable for industrial and therapeutic purposes.Keywords: fatty acids / micronutrient / phytochemicals / physicochemical / Duranta repens Résumé -Caractérisation des huiles de feuilles et graines de Duranta Repens. La connaissance de la composition chimique des sources d'huiles comestibles peu utilisées est devenue primordiale afin de compléter l'utilisation des huiles végétales plus largement connues. Dans cette étude, la quantification, par chromatographie en phase gazeuse, des acides gras et des composants phytochimiques a été effectuée, et la composition physicochimique et en micronutriments de l'huile de feuilles et de graines de Duranta repens a été évaluée à l'aide de méthodes classiques. Les huiles de feuilles contiennent des valeurs significativement plus élevées (p < 0,05) de peroxyde, d'iode et d'acide thiobarbiturique, tandis que la valeur de saponification, la densité, le point de fusion et le pH étaient significativement plus élevés dans l'huile de graines. Les huiles de graines contiennent des teneurs en Mg, K, Na et vitamine K plus élevées, tandis que l'huile de feuille contenait des teneurs supérieures en Fe, en vitamine A et en vitamine D. La concentration relative en acides gras était la suivante : palmitique > oléique > myristique > stéarique > caprique > linoléique > laurique > palmitoléique pour l'huile de graines, et linoléique > palmitoléique > oléique > sté arique > palmitique > myristique > caprique > laurique > myristoléique pour l'huile foliaire. Les principaux ...

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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