PROXIMATE, PHYTOCHEMICAL QUANTIFICATION AND ANTIDIARRHOEA POTENTIAL OF GONGRONEMA LATIFOLIUM EXTRACT IN ALBINO RATS.

¹Nwachoko, Ndidi., ²Onuoha, Samuel C., ³Amadi, Justus O.

¹Department of Biochemistry, Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.

²Department of Biochemistry, University of Port Harcourt, Choba, Rivers State

³Department of chemistry (Biochemistry option), Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt, Rivers State,

Email: blessedconfidence@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

Diarrhoea is a potentially morbid condition with high prevalence worldwide, it constitute a major health situation especially in children under the age of five years old. The world health organization has encouraged studies that can bring about solutions to diarrhoea. Thus this work investigated the proximate, phytochemical quantification and antidiarrhoea potential of G. latifolium extract with experimental animals. The result of the proximate analysis reviewed carbohydrate composition to be the highest, followed by the protein composition while fat had the least value. The result of the phytochemical analysis, showed high percentage saponins, flavonoids and alkaloids. Also the result of the antidiarrhoea study showed a reduction in the degree and frequency of defecation of diarrhoea stool. The result indicates that the ethanolic extract of G. latifolium contains compounds that could inhibit castor oil induced diarrhoea.

Keywords: Diarrhoea, Gongronema latifolium, Phytochemicals, Proximate .