Phytochemical and nutritional composition of ethanol-water leaf extracts of Justicia secunda and Jatropha tanjorensis

The study analyzed phytochemical and nutritional compositions of ethanol-water leaf extracts of Justicia secunda and Jatropha tanjorensis using standard methods. In both plants significant amounts of alkaloids, tannin and flavonoids were seen. J. tanjorensis had higher amount of saponin and cardiac glycoside. The quantitative phytochemical and anti-nutrient evaluation revealed J.tanjorensis had higher amount of phytochemicals including sapogenin, anthocyanin and anti-nutrient factors such as tannin, phytate and oxalate. The proximate analysis yielded carbohydrate as being most abundant in both plants with J.tanjorensis having higher (62.22 ±0.14%) against (61.52±0.12 %) seen in J.secunda. Fibre composition of both plants was low with 4.62±0.04% in J.secunda and 5.22±0.05% in J.tanjorensis. The most prevalent mineral element in J.secunda was magnesium (9.39±0.10mg/kg dry weight) while potassium (8.58±0.10mg/kg dry weight) was most prevalent in J.tanjorensis. Manganese was the least abundant in both plants. Eighteen different amino acids were found. His (4.76 ±0.08 µg/g) was the most abundant essential amino acid (EAA) in J.secunda, while Phe (5.78 0.04 µg/g) was the most abundant EAA in J.tanjorensis. Gly (4.85±0.03µg/g) and Pro (4.78±0.04 µg/g) was the most prevalent NEAAs in J.secunda and J.tanjorensis, respectively. The finding validates the richness of both plants in essential phytochemicals and other beneficial plant-based nutrients, and explains their traditional use in forkloric medicine practice.