Organoleptic Evaluation and Physiochemical Characteristics of Powdered Plant Organs of the Traditional Medicinal Plant Caloncoba Echinata

Abstract

The organoleptic evaluation and physiochemical characteristics of dried powdered plant organs (leaves, stem bark and root bark) of the traditional medicinal plant Caloncoba echinata have been investigated. Organoleptic character refers to evaluation each of the powdered traditional medicinal plant by colour, odour, taste, texture and particle size. Physico‐chemical studies such total ash, water soluble ash, acid insoluble ash, water and alcohol soluble extract, loss on drying at 105°C of dried powdered plant organs and then heated in a laboratory furnace to 1000oC were carried out. The spicy and bitter taste each of the powdered plant materials during organoleptic evaluation indicated that the plant organs investigated contained alkaloids thus supporting the use of the plant as a traditional pharmaceutical. The colour of the powdered plant organs ranges from light green for the leaves to brown for both the stem and root barks. The colour of the powdered plant material will also help who so ever wish to buy and use the plant material for medicinal purpose. It helps prevent adulteration. The moisture content in the various plant organs investigated is greater in the root bark (33.0%) than in the stem bark (16.463%) and the root bark (13.62%). The ash content in the plant organs investigated was also greater in the root bark (12.509%) than the stem bark (8.7%) and leaves bark (6.4%), thus indicating that the root bark of the plant contained more inorganic compounds. The leaves of the plant contained more water soluble (50.2%) substances than the stem bark (19.6%) and the root bark (6.4%). The root bark contained more water insoluble (93.6%) and acid soluble (84.9%) substances than the leaves and stem bark of the plant organs investigated. The pH of water soluble ash was found to be greater than 7 indicating the basicity of the extracts, with the root bark (pH = 10.70) more basic than the stem bark (pH = 9.10) and leaves (pH = 8.71) respectively. Organoleptic evaluation and physiochemical characteristics carried out on the dried powdered plant organs of the traditional medicinal plant Caloncoba echinata indicated that the plant is suitable for use in Traditional Medicine.