Organoleptic evaluation, fluorescence analysis, phytochemical screening and mineral analysis of dried powdered leaves of traditional medicinal plant alternanthera sessilis used for the treatment of fungal infection in sierra leone

Organoleptic evaluation, Fluorescence analysis, Phytochemical screening and Mineral analysis has been carried out on the dried powdered Leaves of traditional medicinal plant Alternanthera sessilis used for the treatment of fungal infection in Sierra Leone. The brown colour, grass odour and bitter taste of dried powdered Leaves of the plant helps in identification and prevent adulteration of the dried powdered form of the plant organ during organoleptic evaluation. The bitter taste indicated that alkaloids are present in the leaves of the traditional medicinal plant A. sessilis thus supporting its use in traditional medicine in providing remedy for fungal infection. The powdered plant organ also gave fluorescent derivatives with NaOH solution, ammonia solution, 50% HCl and 50% HNO3 when viewed under UV/Lamp Model UVGL-58 confirming the presence crude drugs in the plant organ investigated. The results of Phytochemical screening of the Petroleum ether, acetone, chloroform, methanol, ethanol and aqueous crude extracts of the plant organ investigated revealed high contents of carbohydrates, alkaloids, flavonoids, proteins sterols/terpenes and saponins in the ethanolic, methanol and aqueous extracts. All of the solvent extracts revealed intense concentration of Tannins and Phenolic compounds. The petroleum ether and acetone extracts gave the least concentration of the phytoconstituents. The detection of the above secondary plant metabolites support the use of the plant as food and as traditional pharmaceutical. Elemental analysis was carried out on the plant organ investigated using with a Niton XL3t GOLD + Hand held X-ray Fluorescence (Thermo Fisher). The Niton Hand held XRF Instrument uses aAg-anode X-ray tube with a voltage of 50kV and equipped with a Si-drift detector (SDD). Accurate energy and efficiency calibrations of the spectrometer were made using a certified reference material – SRM 1573a – Tomato Leaves supplied by the International Energy Agency (IAEA), Vienna, Austria. The spectrum acquisition time was 480sec for the sample and the dead time was around 50% and the following results obtained; K (56714 ± 250.00 ppm), Ca (21372 ± 218.00 ppm), Mg (6333.00 ± 2084 ppm), Al (7266 ± 378.00ppm) and Fe (3655.20 ± 31.11 ppm) The other elements present in smaller quantities were Ti (592.00 ± 18.00 ppm), Zr (207.21 ± 1.65 ppm), Mn (167.42 ± 14.68 ppm), Zn (88.52 ± 3.19 ppm), Sc (79.00 ± 15.00 ppm), Sr (73.45 ± 1.02 ppm), Rb (63.53 ± 1.10 ppm), Cu (34.78 ± 4.83 ppm) V (12.90 ± 7.85 ppm)and Mo (4.92 ± 0.90 ppm). The above elements have been reported to play great role in metabolic processes in humans thus preventing various types of mineral deficiency diseases that could be associated with skin eruptions and degenerative diseases. Copper and zinc reported in this research work are the two main elements that provide curing for fungal infection in humans.