The African black soap from Elaeis guineensis (Palm kernel oil) and Theobroma cacao (Cocoa) and its transition metal complexes

Abstract

African black soap is an indigenous African organic soap formed by esterification. This was prepared by reacting palm kernel oil and the filtrate of cocoa pod ash. Chemical analyses revealed the moisture content was 26% (w/w), total fatty matter (TFM) was 44.75% (w/w), total fatty alkaline (TFA) was 0.22% (w/w), total alkaline (TA) was 11.78% (w/w) and pH was 10. The metal complexes were formed by the reaction of the synthesized black soap with some transition metal salts which included Cu(CH 3 COO) 2 Characterization of the black soap and complexes was done by spectroscopic analyses and determination of physicochemical properties. The solubility of the metal complexes was determined at room temperature in various solvents. Results showed that solubility increased as polarity decreased and it was most effective with non-polar organic solvents. Potassium ester (C 11 H 23 COO -K + ), commonly called African black soap, has acted either as a monodentate or bidentate ligand forming metal complexes by coordinating through one or two of its oxygen donor atoms and also by entirely replacing the potassium ion with the transition metal (displacement reaction). Spectra analyses corroborate an octahedral structure for the Pb(II), a distorted octahedral structure for the Cu(II) and an octahedral Fe(III) complex.

Comparative Antimicrobial Efficacy of Locally Made African Black Soaps Produced in Akure, Nigeria and Medicated Soaps Against Selected Clinical Skin Pathogens

“…1, 2, and 3 for the fungal pathogens are 400 µg/ml compared to 600 µg/ml for I.M.S. 1 and 2 respectively at the same level of significance (P ≤ 0.05). More so, these air-borne fungi may have contaminated the instruments used in production processes since air flow in the black soap production environment is not controlled; this was also implicated in the findings of Aliyu., et al [2,3] and Adebomi., et al [1].…”

“…The methods described in Aliyu., et al [8], Obi [9] and Adebomi., et al [1] were adopted for sample preparation and Inoculum standardization in which sterile distilled water was used as diluents and a 1g of each sample stock of locally made African black soap was weighed into 10 ml of sterile distilled water for a serial dilution procedure in sterile test tubes under aseptic conditions until four different dilutions were obtained for a pour plate culture technique [9]. Thereafter, a 1 ml each of the dilution factors 3 and 4 were used for inoculating already prepared Nutrient Agar and Potato Dextrose Agar seeded with 250 mg Chloramphenicol (for total filamentous fungi counts).…”

“…The macro-morphological properties of the different mycelium clones were obtained by visual appearance of the mycelium units while micro-morphological properties of fungi mycelium clones were obtained via microscopic observations of stained mycelia with Analyzed sample treatments were replicated thrice; data means obtained were subjected to a 2-way analysis of variance and treatment means were separated using Duncan's New Multiple Range test at P ≤ 0.05 levels of significance [1][2][3]6,9]. against known skin pathogens in contrast with many commercially available medicated soaps licensed for sales in the markets.…”

“…Different concentrations of the African black soap from the three sampling points and medicated soaps obtained were made at 0.2 mg/ml, 0.4 mg/ml and 0.6 mg/ml respectively; modifying the methods described [1][2][3]6,9]. A standard bactericidal agent …”

“…it also contains a high percentage of phytosterols compesterol, stigmasterol, beta and alpha-spino sterol [1]. Shea butter is composed of five principal fatty acids, palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic acid and arachidic acid while the major fatty acids in palm kernel oil are lauric acid, myristic acid and oleic acid respectively [5].…”