Comparative Analysis of Bioactive Compounds in Two Selected Plants (Verononia amygdalina and Jatropha gossypifolia)

Abstract

Chemical analysis were carried out to investigate the bioactive constituents of Vernonia amygdalina and Jatropha gossypifolia and to determine the quality of saponin, alkaloid, and tannin contents of the selected plants. In comparing the bioactive constituents of Vernonia amygdalina and Jatropha gossypifolia, the results showed that there were significant presence of alkaloids, streoids, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, condensed tannins, glycosides and reducing sugar in both plants while some were absent such as cardiac glycosides, hydrolysable tannin, phlobatannin, terpenoids, polysaccharide/starch and coumarin. The result also revealed the concentration of some of the bioactive compounds such as saponins 1.103 g/dm3 in Vernonia amygdalina compare with 1.079 g/dm3 in Jatropha gossypifolia. Tannins 26.48 g/dm3 in Vernonia amygdalina, 24.12 g/dm3 in Jatropha gossypifolia and alkaloids; 0.580 g/dm3 in Vernonia amygdalina, 0.7585 g/dm3 in Jatropha gossypifolia. The bioactive compounds detected in these plants are of therapeutic importance and their presence indicates the beneficial effects of the plants and also supports the use of these plants in ethno-medicine for the management of various ailments.