Purpose:
To evaluate the amino acid, antioxidant and ionic profiles of
Carpolobia lutea
leaf
(Polygalaceae) extract (CLL).
Methods:
The powdered leaf was macerated and subjected to gradient solvent extraction with nhexane,
chloroform, ethyl acetate and ethanol for 72 h to obtain their respective fractions. Amino acid
analysis was by cation-exchange chromatography using automated amino acid analyser. Antioxidant
potential was obtained by spectrophotometric assay using 2, 2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl DPPH while
elemental and ionic analyses were carried out by atomic absorption spectrophotometry and
potentiometric titration, respectively.
Results:
MProline, alanine, serine, valine, glycine, glutamate and lysine were found in the ethanol
fraction while lysine, phenyl alanine, glycine and serine were present in the ethyl acetate fraction but not
in the non-polar fractions, n-hexane and chloroform. The ethyl acetate fraction contained more lysine,
phenyl alanine, glycine and serine the other leaf fractions. Minimal radical scavenging activity of all the
fractions was recorded. The most abundant cations in the extract were potassium and phosphorus (2.16
± 0.05 and 1.90 ± 0.06 mg/g, respectively) while the most abundant anion was phosphate with a
concentration of 23.23 ± 4.61 mg/g for the aqueous leaf fraction.
Conclusion:
The study shows that CLL fractions contain variety of amino acids which could promote
wound healing, as well as major and minor elemental ions which, as essential body electrolytes, are
required for various metabolic processes in the body.
