PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING OF CRUDE EXTRACTS OF LAGENARIA BREVIFLORA (BENTH) ROBERTY SEEDS

Abstract

The study was undertaken to determine the proximate composition of Lagenaria Breviflora (Benth) Roberty seeds and to screen the phytochemicals present in the crude aqueous extract of Lagenaria Breviflora (Benth) Roberty seeds . The fresh fruits were purchased from Olorunda Abaa market Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. The seeds were then removed from. the fruits washed, drained and were grouped into three treatments, subjected to the three processing methods; treatment I was the control; LBS were sun-dried for three days, treatment 2, LBS were oven dried at 105°C for24 hours while in treatment 3; the seeds were soaked in hot Water at 60°C till cold, then drained and sundried. Standard phytochemical methods were used to test quantitatively the presence of saponins, tannins, anthraquinones, terpenoids, cardiac glycosides, phenol, steroid, alkaloids, phlobatanins and flavonoids. The seed in each treatment were analysed for their proximate composition. The result of the proximate composition revealed slight increase in % (CP and E.E) and highest value of % CF in HWS compared with SD Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of saponins,terpenoids, steroid, alkaloids, and cardiac glycoside. However phenol, tannin, and phlobatannins, flavonoids, and anthraquinones were not detected. These findings therefore, suggest that there is an indication that Lagenaria Breviflora (Benth) Roberty seeds contain important phytochemicals that may play significant roles on animal when consumed.