PHYTOCHEMICAL AND ANTIMICROBIAL SCREENING OF JATROPHA CURCAS L. (IGI LAPALAPA) OF TWO ECOLOGICAL ZONES

Phytochemical analysis and antimicrobial screening of Jatropha curcas were carried out on Forest and Guinea savannah samples. Both quantitative and qualitative was carried out on stems, seeds and leaves Jatropha from Forest and Guinea savannah. Qualitative result revealed the presence of tannin, saponin, alkaloid, total phenol, flavonoid, combines and free anthraquinone in the plant from both zones. Presence of all these constituents indicated that the plant is medicinal for illness or diseases. For the quantitative of both Guinea and forest Jatropha curcas, Five (5) constituents were tested (tannin, saponin, alkaloid, flavonoid and total phenol). It was reveal that Tannin has highest concentration of 33.38mg/g and 25.21mg/g lowest concentration of flavonoid which is 8.08mg/g and 6.41mg/g on guinea leaves and forest leaves respectively. For guinea seeds and forest seeds, it is recorded that alkaloid has highest concentration of 4.57mg/g and 3.77mg/g while saponin has the lowest concentration of 1.5mg/g and 1.22mg/g. 0.79mg/g and 0.86mg/g of total phenol was recorded to have highest concentration while 0.18mg/g and 0.30mg/g of saponin was recorded to have the lowest concentration in Guinea and Forest zone. In general, it was revealed that guinea seeds, leaves and stems are significantly higher (P < 0.5) in the five constituents than forest seeds, stems and leaves. The antimicrobial result revealed that Guinea Jatropha curcas has bioactive agents that contain antimicrobial properties against Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus feacalis. The results from both Phytochemical and antimicrobial screening shows that guinea savanna Jatropha curcas was more potent than the forest type