PRELIMINARY PHOTOCHEMICAL SCREENING, VITAMIN CONTENTS AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF IPOMOEA MAURITIANA (JACQ) TUBERS AND THEIR PEELS.

Abstract

This study investigated the phytochemicals, vitamins content and anti-microbial activity of Ipomoea mauritiana tubers and their peels according to standard procedures. Phytochemical screening of the tubers and peels of Ipomoea mauritiana revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, steroids and terpenoids. Vitamin assay of the tubers showed the following results; vitamin A (3.12 ± 0.01µg/100g), vitamin C (25.00 ± 0.05mg/100g), vitamin E (1.82 ± 0.01mg/100g) while that of the peels revealed the following; vitamin A (2.13 ± 0.01µg/100g), vitamin C (2.03 ± 0.01mg/100g), and vitamin E (1.73 ± 0.003mg/100g). The anti-microbial activity in dimethyl sulphoxide showed no inhibition for the ethanolic tubers extract in all five test organisms used whereas the ethanolic peels extract showed activity only against two organisms so their minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration were determined. Spotting anti-microbial activity carried out on the solid crude ethanolic extract of both the tubers and peels of the plant under study showed significant inhibition Keywords: Ipomoea mauritiana, photochemical, anti-microbial, vitamins