Background: One of the uses of Crescentia cujete leaves is in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, which necessitated the evaluation of its chemical composition.Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate the chemical composition of C. cujete leaves.Setting: Fresh, mature leaves were harvested from the Herbal Garden, Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, Jericho Hill, Ibadan, Nigeria. The plant samples were identified at Forest Herbarium, Ibadan, Nigeria, sorted to eliminate extraneous matter and then air-dried on a cabinet dryer for five days at ambient temperature and oven-dried at 40°C for five minutes. The dried leaves were milled to powder using a medium-sized milling machine and stored in an air-tight container until needed for analysis.Methods: The proximate composition, phytochemical screening and mineral analysis were determined using standard analytic methods. Minerals such as iron, zinc, calcium, manganese and magnesium were determined by the atomic absorption spectrophotometer; sodium and potassium by the flame photometer and phosphorus by the spectrophotometer.Results: The proximate analysis results revealed that the samples contained carbohydrate (40.46%), crude protein (16.15%), crude fibre (19.71%), crude fat (2.91%), ash (9.77%) and moisture (11.03%), while the phytochemical screening confirmed the presence of cardiac glycosides, saponins, tannins, anthraquinones and flavonoids. The mineral compositions (mg/g) decreased in the order Ca (6.0) > K (5.0) > Mg (2.2) > P (1.5) > Na (0.2) > Fe = Zn (0.6) > Cu = Mn (0.03).Conclusion: These results conceivably indicate that C. cujete is a good source of essential minerals and phyto-nutrients which possess strong pharmacological activities, providing scientific credence for its therapeutic usage in folklore medicine.

Background: Medicinal plants are a potent source of therapeutic molecules that heal various diseases in the world.Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate heavy metal concentrations in the leaves of some selected medicinal plants in selected locations.Setting: The leaves of Azadirachta indica, Magnifera indica and Newbouldia laevis were collected from the botanical garden, roadside and residential area in the University of Ibadan and were authenticated at the Forest Herbarium Ibadan. The samples were thoroughly washed with deionised water and air-dried at room temperature for about three weeks, then ground into powder with a mechanical grinder. The samples were subsequently stored in air-tight bottles for further work.Methods: The milled samples were subjected to wet digestion, and then lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd) and nickel (Ni) were analysed using standard methods.Results: The results obtained show that the highest concentrations of Pb, Cr and Cd in the medicinal plants studied were found in N. laevis (23.93 ppm; road side), N. laevis (4.79 ppm; road side) and M. indica (0.36 ppm; road side), respectively, while the lowest concentrations of Pb, Cr and Cd were found in A. indica (7.10 ppm; botanical garden), N. laevis (0.73 ppm; residential) and N. laevis (0.05 ppm; residential), respectively. Ni was totally undetected in all three medicinal plants studied in all the locations.Conclusion: The concentrations of heavy metals at the roadside and residential area were higher than permissible limits set for medicinal plants, but the botanical garden was the lowest and safest in terms of heavy metals accumulation in the medicinal plants studied in the three locations.

Justicia secunda es una planta medicinal que pertenece a la familia Acanthaceae, es muy utilizada en la medicina tradicional para el tratamiento y manejo de una amplia gama de dolencias. En este estudio, la selección/análisis de fitoquímicos, minerales y características micro-morfológicas de las hojas de J. secunda se evaluaron utilizando procedimientos estándar. Los datos generados para el contenido fitomineral y fitoquímico de las hojas así como la prueba quimio-microscópica y los rasgos anatómicos foliares de las hojas que revelaron rasgos característicos distintos serán de utilidad en la sistemática, adecuada identificación, autenticación y estandarización de esta planta para fines medicinales propósitos. Justicia secunda is a medicinal plant that belongs to the family Acanthaceae, it is widely used in traditional medicine for the treatment and management of a wide range of ailments. In this study, the phytochemicals screening/analysis, minerals and micro-morphological characteristics of the leaves of J. secunda were evaluated using standard procedures. The data generated for the phytomineral and phytochemical contents of the leaves as well as the chemo-microscopic test and foliar anatomical features of the leaves which revealed distinct characteristic features will be useful in the systematics, proper identification, authentication and standardization of this plant for medicinal purposes.

The leaves of Crescentia cujete Linn belonging to Bignoniaceae family have been reported to exhibit some important medicinal properties such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-tumour and anti-inflammatory activities. This study therefore evaluated the chemoscopic, macro-morphological andmicromorphological attributes of powdered, fresh and anatomical sections of Crescentia cujete Linn leaves using standard methods. The result ofchemoscopic study confirmed presence of calcium oxalate crystals, fat deposits and traces of lignin in numbers on epidermal surfaces. Macro-morphological study revealed that C. cujete leaves are deep green in colour with faint odour, sour taste and smooth-feel with non-granular  surfaces. Micromorphological examinations indicated that epidermal cells are irregular, rectangular to polygonal in shape on the abaxial surface but epidermal cells on the adaxial surface were straight, slightly undulating with thick anticlinal cell walls. Paracytic stomata arrangement was found only on the abaxial surfaces. Quantitative leaf microscopy confirmed that epidermal cells had average sizes of 37.52 ± 4.62 – 39.23 ± 4.73 μm in  length while cell width was 25.51± 0.86 – 27.76 ± 4.21μm. The stomata length was 15.66 ± 2.04 and 6.29 ±0.93 in width. Organoleptic and other  parameters evaluated on C. cujete shows that it has optimum potential for herbal drug development and a baseline for species identification.

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