ABSTRACT

This work investigates the phytochemical analysis, diuretic and anti-inflammatory properties of ethanol leaf extract of P. aquilinum and S. verucosa. Wistar rat model was used in testing the anti-inflammatory and diuretic activities of the two plants. The leaves of the plants were collected, sun-dried, milled and stored for analysis. Some of the milled samples were soaked in ethanol for 48 hours after which it was filtered and the filtrate was subsequently evaporated to dryness and stored for further use. A total of 56 Wistar rats were used for this study. They were grouped into two major groups: diuretic and anti-inflammatory groups. Phytochemical screening (quantitative and qualitative), proximate and mineral compositions screening were done using standard procedures of analysis. Phytochemical results show that the plant, P. aquilinum has significant (p<0.05) concentrations of total phenolics (66628.50 ± 564.79), carbohydrates (4108.24 ± 211.44) and reducing sugars (753.29 ± 22.27) when compared with S. verucosa viz: 22806.45 ± 237.49, 1302.11 ± 23.18 and 596.54 ± 13.63, respectively, while S. verucosa showed significant (p<0.05) concentrations of terpenoids (967.23 ± 9.85), steroids (64.21 ± 15.95) and flavonoids (3058.13 ± 29.47) when compared with P. aquilinum viz: 749.91 ± 6.08, 19.12 ± 0.21 and 944.38 ± 2.25, respectively. Also, anti-inflammatory study indicated that the result of C-reactive protein had a non-significant (p>0.05) and significant (p<0.05) dose dependent decrease when the groups administered low (2.66 ± 0.18) and high (2.03 ± 0.26) doses, respectively of S. verucosa are compared with the inflammation (no treatment) group (2.58 ± 0.03). The groups administered low (2.54 ± 0.07) and high (2.15 ± 0.06) doses of P. aquilinum show significant (p<0.05) decrease when compared with the no treatment group. The result of Nitric oxide shows that there is a non-significant (p>0.05) difference when the treated groups are compared with the normal control as well as the non-treated group, while the group treated with low dose of S. verucosa (25.14 ± 0.33) shows a significant (p<0.05) increase when compared with all the groups, but non-treated group. Lactate dehydrogenase result shows that there is a non-significant (p>0.05) difference when the groups treated with ethanol extracts of the plants are compared with the normal control and other control groups. In diuretic activity, results of sodium, chloride and potassium in both urine and faeces samples indicate that the test groups administered the different extracts showed a significant decrease when compared with the positive control, the bicarbonate concentration in both specimens was of no significant difference when compared with the positive control. Therefore, this thesis indicates that the plants, P. aquilinum and S. verucosa have some medicinal and nutritional benefits.