Comparative analysis of medicinal properties of the bark and leaves of Tectona grandis

Abstract

This study was carried out to compare the proximate and phytochemical properties of leaves and back of tectona grandis. Ethanolic extract of both the bark and leaves were subjected to both phytochemical and proximate analysis. The stem barks were positive for the following phytochemicals: flavonoids, terpenoids, saponins, tanins, steroids, alkaloids, and glycosides. The leaves were also positive for all except alkaloids and glycosides.Proximate analysis of the stem bark revealed the following: 13.0% moisture, 25.0% ash, 28.8% fibre, 20.0% lipid, 12.0% protein, 1.2% carbohydrate and 1.9% nitrogen. While the leaves contained: 10.0% moisture, 25.0% ash, 12.0% fibre, 11.1% lipid, 23.1% protein, 15.1% carbohydrate and 3.7% nitrogen. The comparison of the two showed that the stem bark is richer in phytochemicals than the root while the proximate analysis revealed that the bark is higher in moisture, ash, fibre and lipid but lower in protein, nitrogen and carbohydrate.