Phytochemical analysis, antioxidant and metal chelating capacity of Tetrapleura tetraptera

Abstract

Tetrapleura tetraptera, claim to be beneficial for curing of human ailments. In this study, we determined phytochemicals, antioxidant and metal chelating capacity in the pulp, seeds and whole fruit (mixture of pulp and seeds) of T. tetraptera. Phytochemicals (flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, tannins, steroids, saponins and phenols) were examined in aqueous and ethanolic extracts of the pulp, seeds and whole fruit. The recovery of all compounds was satisfactory, in the range of 90%-108%. The screening test revealed the presence of many phytochemicals in either one or both extracts. After the qualitative analysis, UV-Spectrophotometer was used to quantify phenols, flavonoids, saponins and alkaloids where higher phytochemical concentrations were recorded in the pulp followed by whole fruit and then the seeds. The metal chelating capacity was determined using EDTA standard, and was in the order of pulp>whole fruit>seeds. Also, the pulp was established to exhibit much antioxidant activity as compared to the whole fruit or seeds. This study therefore supports the use of T. tetraptera in traditional systems of medicine owing to its active chemical compounds, and has given many vital insights on which part of T. tetraptera fruit to consume as concentrations of these compounds varies in the pulp, seeds and whole fruit.

Keywords: Antioxidant; Food science; Metal chelating capacity; Pharmaceutical chemistry; Phytochemicals; Tetrapleura tetraptera.