Comparative Analysis of the Phytochemical Contents of Dry and Fresh Leaves of Sansevieria trifasciata Prain

Abstract

In the Comparative analysis of the phytochemical contents of dry and fresh leaves of Sansevieria trifasciata Prain, the methanol extract from the plant materials revealed the presence of the alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins and cardiac glycosides in all the samples. However, In the fresh leaves, alkaloids and saponin were found to be abundant, flavonoids, tannins and cardiac glycosides were moderate. In the oven dry leaves, Alkaloids, tannins and cardiac glycosides were moderate, flavonoids and saponin were trace. In the room temperature dry leaves, flavonoids were in trace amount, alkaloids, tannins, saponins, and cardiac glycosides were moderate. The usefulness of S. trifasciata in traditional medicine could be traced to its rich phytochemical constituents especially of alkaloid, tannin and flavonoid. S. trifasciata which is a known ornamental plant in the Akwa Ibom State have certain medicinal constituents which would make it better pharmaceutical raw material and it is hereby recommended that more research should be carried out on this plant to find out it medicinal potency by treating more specimen organisms with their extracts and then placing them in the list of effective and high level pharmaceuticals.