Phytochemical and FTIR Analyses of Six Medicinal Plants from Pankshin Local Government Area of Plateau State, Nigeria

Aim: To analyze the phytochemical and FTIR of six medicinal plants frequently used by the Ngas in Pankshin District of Plateau State, Nigeria in the traditional treatment of some ailments.  Methods: The medicinal plants were extracted with water, ethanol and cyclohexane/hexane, screened for the presence and levels of phytochemicals by standard methods and the FTIR analyses were carried out on the ethanolic extracts. Results: The study revealed that the aqueous extracts contained most of the phytochemicals analyzed. The quantitative analysis of five phytochemicals in four of the plants showed that the order of the levels of phytochemicals in plants were: alkaloids; F. phytophylla > C. tinctorium > F. abutilifolia > F. phytophylla, saponins; F. abutilifolia > F. phytophylla > F. abutilifolia > C. tinctorium, terpernoids; F. phytophylla > F. abutilifolia > C. tinctorium > F. abutilifolia, flavonoids; F. phytophylla > F. abutilifolia > C. tinctorium > F. abutilifolia and glycosides, F. abutilifolia > F. phytophylla > C. tinctorium > F. abutilifolia with saponins being the most abundant phytochemical in the study and flavonoids the least. F. phytophylla was richest in the phytochemicals while F. abutilifolia was the least. The presence of characteristic functional groups such as ─OH, C─O, –C=C and C─H indicated the presence of phenolic compounds, carboxylic acids, alcohols, carbohydrates, and proteins in the plants that could be responsible for various medicinal properties in the plants. Conclusion: The results justified the local use of the plants in the treatment of illnesses like malaria fever, yellow fever, cough and healing of wounds among the Ngas people in Pankshin Local Government of Plateau State. These compounds can be harnessed for industrial and pharmaceutical utilization.