phytochemical constituents of some medicinal plants used by the nandi people of kenya jeruto...

PHYTOCHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS OF SOME

MEDICINAL PLANTS USED BY THE NANDI PEOPLE OF KENYA

Jeruto Pascaline *, Mutai Charles^ and Ouma George*^

*Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS), P.O Box 249 Kitale, Kenya; ^Center for Traditional Medicine and Drug Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, P.O. Box 54840-00200, Nairobi, Kenya; *^Department of Botany and Horticulture,Maseno University, P.O. Box 333, Maseno, Kenya

BACKGROUND

Plants useful - food, shelter, clothing, fuel, medicine, crafts, cosmetics, income & employment, Herbal products- spices, tisane, medicinal raw materials, aromatics plants, functional food ingredients, essential oils, flavourings, fragrance products, dietary supplements and ecological balance.

Medicinal value- depends on chemical substance; produces definite physiological effect on the body

Bioactive compounds: alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, phenolics etc.

Natural products research- not yet exhausted (10% plants investigated).

Phytochemical test- patentable & industrially exploitable cpds: drug development.

Materials and methods

Field surveyHerbarium specimens were collected using standard

herbarium techniques, identified at University of Nairobi and confirmed at National Museums of Kenya.

Authentic specimens deposited at the Botanic garden, Maseno university herbarium for future reference.

PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENINGPHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING

PLANT COLLECTION Plants for screening selected based on their high

information consensus Plant parts were collected and treated according to

Harborne (1973). PLANT EXTRACTIONPLANT EXTRACTION They were extracted sequentially using chloroform ,

methanol then water (Harborne, 1973). The extracts were run on TLC plates. Active compounds were observed after applying

spraying reagents.

Phytochemical analysis.Phytochemical analysis.

1. Crude extract quality T. asiatica and C. edulis –highest crude extract both

in chloroform and methanol solvent. C. abbysinica and S. princeae had the lowest yield T. asiastica and C. edulis – High root crude extracts

(chloroform & methanol) Water extracts – C. abbyssinica leaves and E.

cymosia roots had highest yield

Quantity of plant root crude extracts

Plant species Chloroform extracts (g)

Methanol extracts (g)

Water extracts (g)

Asparagus racemosusClutia abbysinicaC. myricoidesEhretia cymosiaLeucas calostachysToddalia asiaticaRubia cordifoliaSpermacoce princeaeCarrisa edulisAjuga remota

0.0447

0.32200.25970.07630.07046.83950.11500.06886.1295

-

0.7885

0.32890.89911.39140.70696.17271.74670.44582.0776

-

1.2326

1.2535 1.1987

1.72951.17881.24561.25211.11451.2242

-

Quantity of plant leaves crude extracts

Plant species

Chloroform extracts (g)

Methanol extracts (g)

Water extracts (g)

Asparagus racemosusClutia abbysinicaClerodendrum myricoidesEhretia cymosiaLeucas calostachysToddalia asiaticaRubia cordifoliaSpermacoce princeaeCarrisa edulisAjuga remota

0.13740.25640.1509

0.16140.08630.16390.13250.1510

-6.2834

0.96381.18250.6285

0.37420.46210.51661.08650.6692

-7.426

3.57965.14983.3193

2.22452.56432.1454 2.31232.4781-2.1456

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Chemical compounds analysis

Alkaloids and terpernoids occurred in Alkaloids and terpernoids occurred in all the cloroform extractsall the cloroform extracts

Phenolics occurred in all methanolic Phenolics occurred in all methanolic extracts except extracts except Ajuga remotaAjuga remota. .

Qualitative analysis of the phytochemicals of the medicinal roots(a) (b)

Chloroform extracts Methanol extracts

Plant species Alkaloids

Saponins

Anthraquinones

Glycosides

Phenolics) general

Terpenoids

Flavonoids

Alkaloids

Saponins

Anthraquinones

Glycosides

Phenolics) general

Terpenoids

Flavonoids

A. racemosusC.abbysinicaC.myricoidesE. cymosiaL. calostachysT. asiaticaR. cordifoliaS. princeaeC. edulisA. remota

++++++++++

++-+++-+++

-+----++--

+-++++++--

++--++----

++++++++++

-+---+++--

++-+-++-++

++-+++-+++

---+-++---

+-++-++-++

+++++++++-

----++++++

++-+++++--

Key: + = Presences of constituents; - = Absence of constituents

ConclusionConclusion

Presence of phenolic compounds in AjugaPresence of phenolic compounds in Ajuga remota remota validates its medicinal use by the Nandi practitioners.validates its medicinal use by the Nandi practitioners.

The plants studied are potential sources of useful The plants studied are potential sources of useful drugs.drugs.

Further studies recommended - to isolate, identify, Further studies recommended - to isolate, identify, characterize and elucidate the structure of the characterize and elucidate the structure of the bioactive compounds. bioactive compounds.

Antimalarial activities of these plants for the Antimalarial activities of these plants for the treatments of the diseases as claimed by traditional treatments of the diseases as claimed by traditional healers - investigated.healers - investigated.

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AcknowledgementAcknowledgement

People of Nandi for sharing the indigenous People of Nandi for sharing the indigenous knowledge.knowledge.

Co-authors for teamwork in writing the paper.Co-authors for teamwork in writing the paper. Staff – NMK, UoN, Maseno University. Staff – NMK, UoN, Maseno University.

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