DETERMINATION OF PHYTOCHEMICALCOMPOSITION OFBAMBUSAVULGARIS

Abstract

The use of plants for the treatment of diseases has gained wider acceptability because people have seen it as better alternative to orthodox medicine. Bambusa vulgaris has been a utilities plant since times immemorial. The plant has been useful in medicinal purposes with little attention to its phytochemical composition. This research therefore sets to investigate phytochemical composition of Bambusa vulgaris leaves by using ethanol extract of the air-dried Bambusa vulgaris leaves. The leaves were collected from the Oyo State college of Agriculture and Technology premises, Igboora, air dried for two weeks and pulverized to powder. 50g of the powdered was weighed and 250ml of ethanol was added for crude extraction. The set up was left for 72hr. Qualitative and Quantitative analysis of
selected Phytochemicals were carried out on the extract using Harborne, 1974 method. Saponins, tanins, alkaloids, terpenes, oxalates, flavonoids and steroids were identified. Flavonoids (28.00±00) were found in higher concentration, followed by alkaloid (22.60±0.00) and tanins (17.70±00). Oxalates, terpenes and steroids were found in smaller concentration. This result confirm the possibilities of traditional uses of Bambusa vulgaris as a good antioxidant and antimicrobial agent.