Abstract

Background: Medicinal plant remain an important need to the society. Beta vulgaris is one of the most common plants widely used. According to the latest report from WHO more than 80% of the world’s population rely on herbal medicine for treatment of diseases. However, little information has been documented in Cameroon on the phytochemicals present in Beta vulgaris bulbs and its potential health benefits.

Objective: The goal of this study was to extract and qualitatively analyze the phytochemicals present in the soxhlet and maceration extracts of Beta Vulgaris bulbs and to evaluate their potential health benefits and side effects at St Louis Pharmacy laboratory Douala

Methods: This was an analytical study carried out at the St. Louis Pharmacy Laboratory Douala from the 10th of May to 9th of June 2023. The fresh beetroot bulbs were selected using a purposive sampling technique from Rail, packaged in a dry carton.

The plant sample was washed, peeled and chopped into uniform sizes using a knife and dried under the cover shed for 2 weeks. The dried sample was milled with the aid of a milling machine and transported to St. Louis Pharmacy laboratory. 20g each of the powered dried sample was extracted in 200ml of 95% ethanol and 200ml of distilled water as solvent using the Soxhlet extractor.

20g each of the fresh sample was equally weighed on an electronic balance and extracted in 200ml of ethanol and distilled water using the maceration method of extraction. The extracts were further tested for the presence of phytochemicals using colorimetric method of analysis where color change indicated the presence of a phytochemicals and intensity indicated the concentration of the phytochemical.

Data was collected using a structured data collection form and was later imputed into the computer using Microsoft Excel, results analyzed and presented on frequency distribution tables, , a clearance was obtained from St Louis higher institute of medical studies and an authorization was obtained from the delegation of public health.

Results: Soxhletethanolic extracts tested positive for flavonoids, glycosides, coumarins, tannins, quinones and saponins and anthocyanins tested negative while the aqueous extract tested positive for saponins, quinones, coumarins, tannins and tested negative for flavonoids, glycosides and anthocyanin.

The Aqueous macerated extracts tested positive for saponins, quinones, coumarins and flavonoids, glycosides, tannins and anthocyanin tested negative. while the ethanolic macerated extract tested positive for glycosides, coumarins, flavonoids, quinones and tested negative for saponins, tannin and anthocyanin.

Conclusion: Based on the results, ethanol is a better solvent and soxhlet is a better method for the extraction of most phytochemicals in Beta vulgaris bulbs. From the phytochemicals present in Beta vulgaris, it therefore justifies it uses as antiviral, anti-bacterial, anti- inflammatory, antioxidant, anticonvulsant, anti-fungi, anti-tubercular, bronchitis, anti-coagulant, constipation, arthritis, help in heart diseases, decrease blood lipids, lower cancer risk and use to lower blood glucose levels. However excessive consumption of beta vulgaris can cause, side effects such as nausea, vomiting, dizziness, hypotension, beeturia.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the study

Medicinal plants remain an important need to the society. Synthetic drugs are fast becoming a problem to the society due to some chemicals used in manufacturing drugs that produces lots of effects thereby giving a high need of drugs from natural origin(Salmerón-Manzano et al., 2020).  The use of medicinal plants has been done since ancient times and is considered the origin of modern medicine(Nielsen et al., 2019).

Medicinal plants have also been used for the treatment and management of different disease condition in the traditional medicine systems of many cultures throughout the world (Chikezie et al., 2015). Approximately 2500 medicinal plant species have been recorded globally to treat countless of infection and diseases (Kapoor et al., 2017) .(Azmatullah Khan et al., 2019) herbalmedicine has been made 2800bc when the great native herbal book waswritten by a Chineseemperor (ShenNong) in the sameway, Aristotle (384-322bc) and hippocrate (460-377bc) introduceherbalmedicines for curing fatal diseases.

Large proportions of world’s population rely on  medicinal plants as it continue to show a dominant role in the healthcare system and this is mainly true in developing countries, where herbal medicine has continuous history of long use(Division of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (CSIR), Sanatnagar, Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir-190005, India et al., 2017).

According to the latest report from WHO more than 80% of the world’s population rely on herbal medicine for treatment due to their phytochemical content (Roger et al., 2015) many African countries, such as Ghana, Mali, Nigeria and Zambia, uses herbal medicine as first line of treatment for 60% of the children swith high fever.

In Africa, traditional healers and remedies made from plants play an important role in the health of millions of people. The use of plants in the tropical and subtropical regions is diversified and most of the uses are for medicine (Roger et al., 2015).

Beetroots, scientifically known as Beta vulgaris  is one of the well-known plants belonging to the family Chenopodiaceae(Zia et al., 2021). Beetroot consist of multiple biologically active compounds including betalains (e.g., betacyanins and betaxanthins), flavonoids, polyphenols, Saponins and inorganic Nitrate (NO3).

It is also a rich source of diverse minerals such as potassium, sodium, phosphorous, calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, zinc and manganese (El-Beltagi et al.,2015).Beta vulgaris has anti-oxidant, anti-depressant, anti-microbial, antifungal, anti- inflammatory, diuretic, expectorant and carminative properties (Kale, 2018). However, little information has been documented in Cameroon on phytochemicals present in Beta vulgaris and its potential health benefits.

1.2 Statement of the problem

Medicinal plants have been used for the treatment and management of different disease conditions due to their phytochemical contents. Beta vulgaris which is one of the common plants have anti-oxidant, anti-microbal, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, expectorant and carminative properties.

However, little information has been documented in Cameroon on the phytochemicals present in Beta vulgaris bulbs, its potential health benefits and side effects.

1.3 Significance of the study

1. The findings of this study will be important to pharmaceutical industry for the development of new drugs for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases.
2. The result of this study will create awareness to the community on the medicinal values of Beta vulgaris bulbs.
3. The findings of this study will serve as a point of reference to future researchers.

4.The result obtain from this study will create awareness on the various phytochemicals present beta vulgaris bulbs and its health benefits and side effects to the community and also motivate them to increase the cultivation of this plant for their benefits or to supply to pharmaceutical companies for drug formulation.

1.4 Research questions

1.4.1 Main research question

What are the phytochemicals present in soxhlet and maceration extracts of Beta vulgaris bulbs ,it potential health benefit and its side effect analyzed at St. Louis Pharmacy laboratory Douala using the colorimetric method of analysis?

1.4.2 Specific research question

1. What are the phytochemicals present in soxhlet extracts of Beta vulgaris bulbs gotten from Rail market and analyzed using colorimetric method of analysis at the St. Louis Pharmacy laboratory?
2. What are the phytochemicals present in maceration extracts of Beta vulgaris bulbs gotten from Rail market and analyzed using colorimetric method of analysis at the St. Louis Pharmacy laboratory?
3. What are the health benefits of phytochemicals present in Beta vulgaris bulbs obtained from Rail market?
4. What are the side effect of phytochemicals present in Beta vulgaris bulbs obtained from Rail Market?

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