COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE PHYTOCHEMICAL COMPOSITIONS OF LEAF, STEM-BARK AND ROOT OF AZADIRACHTA INDICA (NEEM)

Objective:  Plant chemicals abound in different parts of plants, in different compositions. Thus, the comparative screening of the leaf, stem-bark and root of Azadirachta indica becomes imperative. The presence of nine phytochemicals which include; alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, glycosides, phenols, steroids, tannins, reducing sugars and anthraquinones, and the quantity of alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, tannins and glycoside in the leaf, stem-bark and root of Azadirachta indica were investigated. Methods: The plant parts were collected from a plantation grown in Okpotegu Echara, Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Plant samples were air dried at room temperature, ground into uniform powder, sieved, bottled and labeled, ready for physico – chemical analysis. Results of the investigation revealed that anthraquinones were beyond detection limits in all the plant parts tested in both ethanol and aqueous extracts. Results:  Alkaloids were not detectable in leaf, stem-bark and root samples of aqueous extract. Glycosides were not detectable in leaf sample of ethanol and aqueous extracts. Quantitatively, the phytochemical compositions of each part showed higher concentrations of Alkaloids in the leaf, stem-bark and root (11.63%, 4.93% and 3.79%), compared to flavonoids (2.19%, 2.72% and 0.92%), saponins (0.70%, 1.12% and 0.44%), tannins (0.33 mg/100, 0.50mg/100 and 0.17mg/100) and glycosides (0.23%, 0.27% and 0.19%), respectively. Conclusion: Obviously, except for the higher percentage (11.63%) of alkaloids in the leaf, the phytochemicals in the stem-bark are higher as shown by the results, which could support the reason that the bark is preferably chewed commonly together with the stem as chew stick for its germicidal and antifungal action.                            Peer Review History: Received 24 October 2018;   Revised 29 October; Accepted 6 November, Available online 15 November 2018 Academic Editor: Dr. Marwa A. A. Fayed, University of Sadat City, Egypt, [email protected] UJPR follows the most transparent and toughest ‘Advanced OPEN peer review’ system. The identity of the authors and, reviewers will be known to each other. This transparent process will help to eradicate any possible malicious/purposeful interference by any person (publishing staff, reviewer, editor, author, etc) during peer review. As a result of this unique system, all reviewers will get their due recognition and respect, once their names are published in the papers. We expect that, by publishing peer review reports with published papers, will be helpful to many authors for drafting their article according to the specifications. Auhors will remove any error of their article and they will improve their article(s) according to the previous reports displayed with published article(s). The main purpose of it is ‘to improve the quality of a candidate manuscript’. Our reviewers check the ‘strength and weakness of a manuscript honestly’. There will increase in the perfection, and transparency. Received file:        Reviewer's Comments: Average Peer review marks at initial stage: 5.5/10 Average Peer review marks at publication stage: 7.5/10 Reviewer(s) detail: Ahmad Najib, Universitas Muslim Indonesia, Makassar, Indonesia, [email protected]  Dr. Gehan Fawzy Abdel Raoof Kandeel, Pharmacognosy Department, National Research Centre, Dokki, 12622,  Giza, Egypt, [email protected]  Similar Articles: HEATING EFFECT ON PHYTOCHEMICAL AND PROXIMATE CONTENTS OF COOKED AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF PHASEOLUS VULGARIS (KIDNEY BEANS) PHYTOCHEMICAL INVESTIGATION AND EVALUATION OF ANTIOXIDANT AND THROMBOLYTIC PROPERTIES OF LEAVE EXTRACTS OF GARDENIA CORONARIA BUCH-HA