Evaluation of the Phytochemistry of Aqueous, Ethanolic and Methanolic Extracts of Morus mesozygia Linn. Stapf., Twig

Aim: The aim of this study was to phytochemically analyze the aqueous, ethanolic and methanolic twig extracts of the species Morus mesozygia Linn. Stapf.

Study Design: This is a cross-sectional study.

Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried out at the Plant Anatomy and Physiology Research Laboratory, University of Port Harcourt, between July, 2018 and November, 2018.

Methodology: Morus mesozygia linn twigs were collected and washed with distilled water, air dried for seven days and milled into fine powder. Maceration method was used to extract the powdered twig into a brownish paste using three different solvents; distilled water, ethanol and methanol. The different plant extracts were subjected to qualitative phytochemical screening for alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, carbohydrates, tannins and anthraquinones. Quantitative phytochemical analysis was done using a Gas chromatography – Mass Spectroscopy machine.

Results: The results of this study showed that the powdered Morus mesozygia linn twigs contained flavonoids, saponins, carbohydrates, alkaloids, tannins, but not anthraquinones. The methanolic and aqueous twig extracts contained high amounts of alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, carbohydrates and tannins, while the ethanolic extract also contained high amounts of the aforementioned phytochemicals in the same proportion, but had saponins in moderate amounts. It also showed that the methanolic twig extract had more carbohydrate than the other two extracts. The result of the GC-MS analysis showed that the three extracts contained complex compounds in varying amounts.

Conclusion: The qualitative and quantitative phytochemical analyses test results of Morus mesozygia Linn Stapf. revealed the presence of the substances like alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids, oils, phenolic compounds, tannins and some complex compounds discovered using GC-MS technique, in their varying concentrations for the three different extracts.