title: Preliminary phytochemical and elemental analysis of aqueous and fractionated pod extracts of Acacia nilotica (Thorn mimosa).
abstract: Acacia nilotica (Thorn mimosa) is used locally for various medicinal purposes by traditionalists and herbalists in northeastern Nigeria. Plants products have been used since ancient times in the management of various conditions. The bark of A. nilotica has been reported to be used traditionally to manage diabetes, dysentery, leprosy, ulcers, cancers, tumor of the eye, ear and testicles, induration of liver and spleen and also in treatment of various condylomas. The objective of this study is to determine the phytochemical and elemental constituents of the extracts of A. nilotica pods. Flame emission and atomic absorption spectrometry were also used to determine the presence or absence of micro- and macro-elements in the extracts. Phytochemical analysis of the aqueous, ethyl acetate and N-butanol fractionated portions of the pod extracts of A. nilotica revealed the presence of tannins, saponins, flavonoids, carbohydrate, whereas carbohydrates and tannins were the only constituent in the residue portion. Anthraquinones, alkaloids, terpene and steroids were not present in the extracts. The elemental screening revealed the presence of iron, potassium, manganese, zinc, calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, sodium, cadmium and copper. Lead, arsenic and molybdenum were not detected in the pod.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Physiology, Pharmacology and Biochemistry, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Nigeria;
authors.forename: Mohammed Shaibu
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Auwal
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Abuja, Gwagwalada, Nigeria;
authors.forename: Sanni
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saka
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Nigeria;
authors.forename: Ismail Alhaji
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Mairiga
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Physiology, Pharmacology and Biochemistry, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Nigeria;
authors.forename: Kyari Abba
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Sanda
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Anatomy, College of Medical Sciences, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Abdullahi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shuaibu
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Nigeria;
authors.forename: Amina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
keywords: Atomic absorption; Flame emission; Spectrometry