PHYTOCHEMICAL AND ELEMENTAL SCREENING OF VERNONIA AMYGDALINA (BITTER LEAF) STEM BARK

Bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina) is a perennial shrub widely recognized across Africa. It is well known for its extensive use in traditional medicine. Known for its bitter taste, this plant is utilized in treating a variety of ailments, ranging from gastrointestinal issues to diabetes and malaria. The therapeutic potential of Bitter leaf is attributed to its rich phytochemical composition, which includes a variety of bioactive compounds known to exert medicinal effects. This research focuses on the phytochemical and elemental analysis of the stem bark of Bitter leaf to understand its potential health benefits and possible toxicity levels. The methodology involved the preparation of the Bitter leaf stem bark, which was cut, dried, and stored under suitable conditions. Laboratory procedures were then carried out to detect the presence of various phytochemicals, including steroids, phenolic acids, steroids, cardiac glycosides, and flavonoids. Additionally, an elemental analysis was performed to quantify the concentrations of essential elements such as Potassium, Magnesium, Sodium, and trace elements like Zinc, Iron, and Cadmium. The results revealed the presence of several bioactive compounds, including steroids, terpenoids, saponin, tannin, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, phlobatannins and cardiac glycosides, confirming the medicinal potential of Bitter leaf. The elemental analysis indicated that the stem bark contains significant levels of essential elements, Potassium, Magnesium, Sodium, Calcium, Zinc, Iron, Manganese, Copper, Cobalt, Chromium, Phosphorous and Cadmium, with Potassium (6.232mg/g) and Magnesium (4.113mg/g) being the most abundant. Notably, trace amounts of Zinc and Iron were detected, which are critical for various physiological processes. However, the presence of potentially toxic elements such as Cadmium (0.009mg/g) was also detected, raising concerns regarding the safety of long-term consumption and the need for regulated dosage. The Bitter leaf stem bark exhibits a rich phytochemical and elemental composition, supporting its traditional use in herbal medicine. However, the presence of toxic elements necessitates caution, particularly in prolonged use. This study underscores the importance of further research to fully understand the implications of these findings for the safe medicinal use of Bitter leaf.