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. 2023 Mar 25;23(1):162.
doi: 10.1186/s12870-023-04144-8.

Season, storage and extraction method impact on the phytochemical profile of Terminalia ivorensis

Aliu Moomin  1   2 , Wendy R Russell  3 , Rachel M Knott  4 , Lorraine Scobbie  5 , Kwesi Boadu Mensah  6 , Paa Kofi Tawiah Adu-Gyamfi  7 , Susan J Duthie  8
Affiliations

Season, storage and extraction method impact on the phytochemical profile of Terminalia ivorensis

Aliu Moomin et al. BMC Plant Biol. .

Abstract

Background: Terminalia ivorensis (TI) is used in West African ethnomedicine for the treatment of conditions including ulcers, malaria and wounds. Despite its widespread use, the phytochemical profile of TI remains largely undetermined. This research investigated the effects of extraction method, season, and storage conditions on the phytochemical composition of TI to contribute towards understanding the potential benefits.

Methods: TI bark was collected in September 2014, September 2018 and February 2018 during the rainy or dry seasons in Eastern Region, Ghana. Samples were extracted sequentially with organic solvents (petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate and ethanol) or using water (traditional). Metabolites were identified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry and compared statistically by ANOVA.

Results: A total of 82 different phytochemicals were identified across all samples. A greater yield of the major phytochemicals (44%, p < 0.05) was obtained by water as compared with organic extraction. There was also a higher concentration of metabolites present in cold (63%, p < 0.05) compared with hot water extraction. A significantly (p < 0.05) higher number of phytochemicals were identified from TI collected in the dry (85%) compared to the rainy season (69%). TI bark stored for four years retained 84% of the major phytochemicals.

Conclusion: This work provides important information on composition and how this is modified by growing conditions, storage and method of extraction informing progress on the development of TI as a prophylactic formulation or medicine.

Keywords: LC MS/MS; Phytochemicals; Season; Secondary metabolites; Soxhlet extraction; Storage; Terminalia ivorensis.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Distribution of phytochemicals between aqueous (combined hot and cold) extraction shown in green and all six organic solvents extraction shown in grey from the TI sample collected in the dry season (February 2018). Metabolites common to both extraction procedures is shown in gold
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Distribution of phytochemicals between cold (blue), metabolites found in both extracts (green) or hot (pink) water extraction from TI sample (February 2018)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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