Published Paper Details:

Gymnanthemum amygdalinum (Delile) Sch.Bip. ex Walp. (Asteraceae), better known by its former name Vernonia amygdalina Delile, is a small shrub with wide medicinal properties. The aim of this work is to screen the extracts of Gymnanthemum amygdalinum leaves for phytochemical and physiochemical composition mainly to establish its earlier claimed usage as traditional and modern medicine. The preliminary phytochemical analysis of ethanol and petroleum ether extracts showed the presence of tannins, flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, and carbohydrates. The phytochemical compounds especially alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, glycosides and carbohydrates were detected in both pet ether and ethanol extracts of leaves. Quantitative determination of the phytochemical compounds found in the barks and leaves of the tree revealed that the extracts had significantly higher values of alkaloids, flavonoids and glycosides than barks. Saponins and anthraquinnes were found to be significantly more in barks than in leaves. The total ash, water soluble, acid insoluble and sulphated ash in leaves were measured to be 12.14%, 5.53%, 2.04% and 14.02% respectively. The results obtained were remarkable and the plant can be further explored in the treatment of oxidative stress and other related disorders.