1. Results: Introduction:
COMPARATIVE STUDIES OF PHYTOCHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS FOUND IN THE FRUITS, ROOTS AND LEAVES OF MORINDA CITRIFOLIA (NONI)
Authors: Agbadi K. Raymond, Kutlushina I. Alina
Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Kaukhova E. Irina
St. Petersburg State Chemical-Pharmaceutical Academy, Department of Industrial Technology of Drugs
Results: .
Introduction:
Morinda citrifolia L. (genus - Rubiaceae) plant is a small evergreen tree found growing in open coastal regions at sea level and in forest areas
up to about 1300 feet above sea level. The plant is often found growing along lava flows. It’s identifiable by its straight trunk, large, bright
green and elliptical leaves, white tubular flowers, and its distinctive, ovoid, “grenade-like” yellow fruit.
Noni is the common name for Morinda citrifolia L.
The ancestors of Polynesians (Asia) were believed to have first used this Plant for various purposes. It has been reported to have a broad
range of health benefits for cancer, infection, arthritis, diabetes, asthma, hypertension, and pain.
The medical knowledge and pharmacopoeia of the Polynesians is now believed to have been fairly complex and modern scientific and
medical communities are beginning to study the plants compiled from this knowledge base.
In modern times, Noni is cultivated in Southern America, Asia, Australia and Africa.
In Ghana (West Africa), Noni is widely distributed in the coastal part of the Volta Region. In this country, Noni is used in traditional medicine
as herbal remedy in fighting diabetes, hypertension, weight loss, pain, etc.
Approximately 160 phytochemical compounds have already been identified in Morinda citrifolia plant, and the major micronutrients are
phenolic compounds, organic acids and Alkaloids. The roots, stems, bark, leaves, flowers, and fruits of the Noni plant are all
involved in various combinations in almost 40 known and recorded herbal remedies.
To determine the quantity of extractive substances in the various parts of the plant, a comparative phytochemical analysis is obtained.
Value of Moisture content of Morinda citrifolia L. plant from Ghana
Table 1
PARTS OF PLANT
MOISTURE, % (+2%)
Roots
1,3
Leaves
2,1
Fruits
1,7
Table 2
Sum Total of Extracts in Percentile Measure
ROOTS
mass with petri dish before heating(g)
mass after drying (g)
Mass of crude extracts (g)
Mass of substance, (g)
Moisture content,% (+2%)
Mass of crude extracts, %
H2O
4.35
4.25
0.1 1
1.35
25.34
40 % Ethanol
4.02
3.93
0.09
22.81
70 % Ethanol
3.89
3.81
0.08
20.27
70% Ethanol +NH4OH(25%)
4.33
4.23
96 % Ethanol
4.2
4.14
0.06
15.21
LEAVES
mass with petri dish before heating (g)
4.26
4.17
1.68
22.89
4.01
3.95
15.26
4.24
0.04
10.17
70 %Ethanol+NH4OH (25%)
3.94
0.07
17.80
4.29
FRUITS
4.46
4.3
0.16
2.14
40.87
3.97
3.84
0.13
33.21
4.27
4.15
0.12
30.66
70 % Ethanol+NH4OH(25%)
4.03
3.9
4.07
20.44
Fig. 1: The trees, flowers and fruits of Morinda citrifolia L.
Aim: To perform phytochemical analytical studies of extracts from the leaves, fruits, and roots of Morinda citrifolia L.
for obtaining enriched extracts from the plant.
Graph 1
Graph 2
Graph 3
leaves
roots
fruits
Fig. 2: The leaves, roots and fruits of Morinda citrifolia L. from Ghana; and their respective pulverised forms (2mm cito size).
Objective
To obtain extracts from leaves, fruits, and roots of Morinda citrifolia, using water, ethanol (40%, 70%, 96%), and 70% ethanol +
Ammonium Hydroxide ( 25 % concentration).
Materials & Method:
Materials:
1. Samples of leaves, roots, and fruits of Morinda citrifolia used in this work were collected from Ghana, West Africa.
2. 250ml glass beaker
3. Vacuum dryer ( Microwave)
4. A bottle of 96% Ethanol
5. 6ml and 12 ml syringes with needle
6. A bottle of Ammonium Hydroxide ( 25%)
7. Filter paper
8. Analytical weighing scale
9. Flacons
10. Distilled water
Methods:
The module used for this experiment was 1 gram of the investigative parts mixed with 10 ml of assay (1:10)
Weigh one gram of pulverised 2mm cito sized plant parts into a 20ml flacon bottle with a seal. For each Morinda citrifolia part,
weigh and transfer into five different flacon bottles.
Using the appropriate labelled syringe, introduce 10 ml of assay use into each of the flacons containing the measured substance. In this
experiment distilled water,40 % Ethanol, 70% Ethanol, 96% Ethanol. 70% ethanol ( 9ml) mixed with NH4OH (25%) (1ml) were the
co-extractives employed.
The flacon bottles were air sealed by sucking out oxygen under pressure. This was done using the needle affixed to a tube connected to
a running water tap. The procedure was repeated for all fifteen flacons.
Shaken vigorously and under same temperature of 65 degrees Celsius, The extracts were allowed to heat for three hours using the
Microwave – Assisted Processing Technique (MAP). The flacons were periodically shaken every fifteen minutes.
After three hours, the labelled flacons were allowed to cool off for 30 minutes.
The crude extracts were then filtered into different labelled empty flacons.
Am empty petri dish with a 10 cm diameter was weighed and labelled according to crude extracts and the readings recorded in a table.
This step was repeated for all fifteen petri dishes.
5 ml of each aliquot was measured into the appropriate labelled dish, weighed and readings recorded then heated at a temperature of 60
degrees for 2 hours till constant mass was obtained. The dry mass in the petri dish was weighed and recorded.
Conclusion:
Table 1, demonstrates the moisture content in percentile measure among the roots, leaves and fruits of
Morinda citrifolia L plant collected from Ghana.
Result showed that moisture is predominately high in the leaves (1,7 +2 %) with the roots recording
the lowest value ( %).
Table 2, presented illustrated values of crude extracts in the parts under study. The fruits of Morinda
citrifolia L. recorded the highest values. The experiment conducted on the fruits with distilled water
recorded the highest concentrates of crude extracts ( %). From the graphs(1,2,3) presented ,
it can be observed that the value of crude extracts are highest in the fruits as compared to the other
parts of the plant.
This leads to conclude that the fruits of Morinda citrifolia L. contains a remarkable quantity of active
substances than the other parts of the plant.