3RD INTERNATIONAL e-CONFERENCE
AGRICULTURAL BIOSCIENCES 2010
JUNE 1-15, 2010
BIOCHEMICAL AND ANTIMICROBIAL
EFFECTS OF AQUEOUS AND ALCOHOLIC EXTRACTS
OF Codiaeum variegatum (EUPHORBIACEAE)
1Anyasor,
G.N., 1Esiaba I.O. , 1Ogunwenmo, K.O. , 1Esan, E.B.,
2Olajuyigbe, O.O., 2Ikpeoha, N. S., 1Onyishi, C.C. & 2Bright, O.C.
Depts of 1Chemical & Environmental Sciences & 2Biosciences & Biotechnology
Babcock University
PMB 21244 Ikeja Lagos Nigeria
http://www.m.elewa.org/econferenceIeCAB.php
THE GARDEN CROTON
Codiaeum variegatum (L.) Blume
 Garden croton occur naturally in southern Asian and
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other eastern pacific islands as well as in Africa
It can be used as an attractive hedge,
Striking foliage in green houses,
Beautification of landscape
Haemostatic and wound healing (folk medicine)
Anti inflammatory and antiseptic
Potential antiviral and antibacterial
Temporal relieve of tooth cavities
Soars, swelling and miscarriage induction
6/7/10
IeCAB 2010 June 1-15 2010
MATERIALS & METHODS
 Animals
Thirty (30) Wister albino rats were obtained from the
laboratory animal facility of the National Institute of
Medical Research (NIMR). The animals weighed
between 195 and 270 g. They were housed in
groups and were caged for two weeks to
acclimatize
 Preparation of leaf extract
The leaves were plucked off from the stem and
dried under room temperature for about 4 weeks.
The dried sample were then pulverized with the aid
of an electric blender and stored in clean
containers until needed for extraction
IeCAB 2010 June 1-15 2010
EXTRACTION
150 g dried, pulverized leaf was extracted with 600 ml absolute ethanol,
methanol and distilled water, stirred slowly for few minutes, allowed to
stand for 72 h and filtered. The filtrate was concentrated under reduced
pressure in a vacuum at 80 ◦C using a rotary evaporator
Antimicrobial testing
Antimicrobial activities of cultivars of garden croton was assayed in vitro
by agar well diffusion method against selected bacterial strains.
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Parameters examined
Phytochemical Constituents
Blood clotting time
Coagulation time
Antimicrobial properties
IeCAB 2010 June 1-15 2010
Results
MEAN ± STANDARD DEVIATION
TEST
Codiaeum variegatum cv. Ovalifolium
CLOTTING / BLEEDING TIME (min)
CONTROL
2.35 ± 0.70
AQUEOUS EXTRACT
1.72 ± 0.38
METHANOLIC EXTRACT
3.98 ± 1.62
COAGULATION TIME (min)
CONTROL
AQUEOUS EXTRACT
METHANOLIC EXTRACT
4.95 ± 3.4
NO COAGULATION
3.08 ± 2.5
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PHYTOCHEMICALS
Table 3. Qualitative analysis of phytochemicals of six cultivars of C. variegatum
IeCAB 2010 June 1-15 2010
ANTIMICROBIAL ANALYSIS
Antimicrobial action of ethanolic extract of cultivars of
Codiaeum variegatum cv. ovalifolium
ORGANISM
ZONE OF INHIBITION (mm)
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Te2
30
S. pyrogeneae Td2
14
Salmonella typhi Tc2
7
S. typhi Tc19
13
S. typhi Sat7
10
Escherichia coli Ecl7
17
DISCUSSION
The phytochemical screening showed the presence of
alkaloid,
cardiac
glycosides,
saponins,
tannins,
cardinolides, phenols, steroids, flavonoids, phyllate and
phlobatanins in C. variegatum although terpenes, phenol
were rarely present
The aqueous extract induced clotting at a significantly
(P<0.05) higher rate than methanolic extract and the
control
The bleeding time showed that aqueous extract had no
coagulation, while the methanolic extract and normal
saline had coagulation
More so, ethanolic extract of leaf inhibited growth of
Streptococcus pneumoniae Te2 (30 mm), S. pyrogeneae
Td2 (14 mm), Salmonella typhi Tc2 (7 mm), S. typhi Tc19
(13 mm), S. typhi Sat7 (10 mm) and Escherichia coli Ecl7
(17 mm) indicating the presence of antimicrobial agents
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Conclusion
Both aqueous and alcoholic extracts of
cultivars of C. variegatum possess
certain bioactive metabolites with anticlotting, anti-coagulating and antimicrobial properties
IeCAB 2010 June 1-15 2010