Senna siamea has been used by various ethnicities in Nigeria for the treatment of various ailments including syphilis, herpes, swine fever, typhoid fever, jaundice, abdominal pain, menstrual pain, among others. In this study, the leaves of Senna siamea were collected and made to undergo proximate, phytochemical and elemental analyses. Result for the proximate analysis revealed 7.43 % moisture content, 20.62 % ash content, 3.00 % lipid content, 21.88 % protein content, 13.00 % crude fibre content and 34.07 % carbohydrate content. Phytochemical screening results indicated high presence of terpenoids, tannins and volatile oils; moderate presence of alkaloids and cardiac glycosides; low presence of saponins, steroids, flavonoids and general glycosides. Quantitative elemental analysis revealed the presence of iron, magnesium and calcium in appreciable amounts of 11.03 %, 10.83 % and 3.08 % respectively. The secondary metabolites contained in S. siamea leaves are hugely responsible for its use in the afore-mentioned treatments and the appreciable amounts of vital minerals suggest they could be processed and inculcated in animal feeds.

1. Phytochemical Screening, Proximate and Elemental Analyses of Senna siamea (Lam.) leaves from Kashere metropolis of Gombe State, Nigeria.
IRJCCS
Phytochemical Screening, Proximate and Elemental
Analyses of Senna siamea (Lam.) leaves from Kashere
metropolis of Gombe State, Nigeria.
*Kendeson A. Christiana1, Abdulkadir A. Gidado2, Danja Abdu Bertha3, Abdu Zakari4, Alfazazi
Amina5
1,2,3,4,5
Department of Chemical Sciences, P.M.B 0182, Federal University Kashere, Gombe State, Nigeria.
Senna siamea has been used by various ethnicities in Nigeria for the treatment of various ailments
including syphilis, herpes, swine fever, typhoid fever, jaundice, abdominal pain, menstrual pain,
among others. In this study, the leaves of Senna siamea were collected and made to undergo
proximate, phytochemical and elemental analyses. Result for the proximate analysis revealed 7.43
% moisture content, 20.62 % ash content, 3.00 % lipid content, 21.88 % protein content, 13.00 %
crude fibre content and 34.07 % carbohydrate content. Phytochemical screening results indicated
high presence of terpenoids, tannins and volatile oils; moderate presence of alkaloids and cardiac
glycosides; low presence of saponins, steroids, flavonoids and general glycosides. Quantitative
elemental analysis revealed the presence of iron, magnesium and calcium in appreciable amounts
of 11.03 %, 10.83 % and 3.08 % respectively. The secondary metabolites contained in S. siamea
leaves are hugely responsible for its use in the afore-mentioned treatments and the appreciable
amounts of vital minerals suggest they could be processed and inculcated in animal feeds.
Keywords: Elemental, Senna siamea, Phytochemical, Proximate, Kashere, Gombe.
INTRODUCTION
Medicine in several developing countries using local
traditions and beliefs is still the mainstay of healthcare. As
a basis for the maintenance of good health, most
developing countries use traditional medicine and
medicinal plantscontaining natural products with medicinal
properties. Medicinal plants, since time immemorial, have
been used in virtually all cultures as a source of medicine
(Hoareau et al., 1999).
Plants have in their arsenal an amazing array of thousands
of chemicals noxious or toxic to bacteria, fungi, insects,
herbivores, and even humans. Fortunately, this chemical
diversity also includes many compounds that are
beneficial to humans: vitamins, nutrients, antioxidants,
anticarcinogens, and many other compounds with
medicinal value. Most plant species in the world are not
edible due largely to the toxins they produce which evolve
from the development of a defense mechanism generated
by these plants to fight off predator (Kendeson et al.,
2016).
Medicinal plants have some natural products which
perform definite physiological action on human body, and
these bioactive substances with curative properties are
secondary metabolites which include alkaloids,
carbohydrates, terpenoids, flavonoids, resins, tannin,
saponins, essential oils, glycosides, phenols and steroids
(Abdu et al., 2015).
Traditional systems of medicine continue to be widely
practiced for several reasons - population rise, inadequate
supply of drugs, prohibitive cost of treatments, side effects
of several allopathic drugs and development of resistance
to currently used drugs for infectious diseases have led to
increased emphasis on the use of plant materials as a
source of medicines for a wide variety of human ailments.
*Corresponding author: Kendeson A. Christiana,
Department of Chemical Sciences, P.M.B 0182, Federal
University Kashere, Gombe State, Nigeria.
E-mail: kendesonac@yahoo.com Tel: +2348065687565
International Research Journal of Chemistry and Chemical Sciences
Vol. 5(1), pp. 082-085, January, 2018. © www.premierpublishers.org. ISSN: XXXX-XXXX
Research Article

2. Phytochemical Screening, Proximate and Elemental Analyses of Senna siamea (Lam.) leaves from Kashere metropolis of Gombe State, Nigeria.
Kendeson et al. 083
Plants, especially used in traditional systems of medicine
can provide biologically active molecules and lead
structures for the development of modified derivatives with
enhanced activity and /or reduced toxicity such as
vinblastine, vincristine, taxol, morphine, codeine, aspirin,
atropine, artemesinin and ephedrine among others (Joy et
al., 2001).
The leaves of S.siamea are extensively known for their
anti-gonorrhoeal and purgative properties as well as a
guinea worm and sore-healing remedy among the Igbos in
Nigeria. The fresh leaves concoction is used for curing
syphilis, herpes and swine fever and for repelling or killing
insects such as termites, bed bugs and mosquitoes as
reported by Jimoh et al., (2013). A traditional claim has
cited that S. siamea is used for the treatment of typhoid
fever, jaundice, abdominal pain, menstrual pain, and is
also used to reduce sugar level in the blood (Jimoh et al.,
2013).
S. siamea is an Arabian name and the herb was first
brought into use by the Arabian physicians - Serapion and
Mesue in the year 1809, it is also known as Cassia siamea
Lam, cassod tree and Cassia tree; an Angiosperm
belonging to the family Fabaceae (Bukar et al., 2009).
S. siamea is used ethno-medicinally especially when
decocted, as anti-malaria, laxative, blood cleaning agent,
cure for digestive system and genitourinary disorders,
herpes and rhinitis (Bukar et al., 2009). The leaves of S.
siamea are extensively known for their anti-gonorrhoeal
and purgative properties as well as a remedy against
guinea worm and sore-healing among the Igbos in Nigeria.
The fresh leaves concoction is used for curing syphilis,
herpes and swine fever and for repelling or killing insects
such as termites, bed bugs and mosquitoes as reported by
Jimoh et al., (2013). A traditional claim has cited that S.
siamea is used for the treatment of typhoid fever, jaundice,
abdominal pain, menstrual pain, and is also used to reduce
sugar level in the blood (Jimoh et al., 2013).
The leaves of S. siamea were reported to contain
anthraquinones, both aglycones and glycosides (Aurapa
and Wandee, 2009). Anthraquinones found in the leaves
of S. siamea are rhein, cassiamin, physcion, chrysophanic
acid, and sennosides (Gritsanapan, 1983 and Nualkaew,
1999). Saponin, alkaloids and phylobatannins are the
major phytochemical identified in S. siamea leave extract
(Smith, 2009). These phytochemical exhibit diverse
pharmacological and biochemical actions when ingested
by animals (Amadi et al., 2006).
S. siamea is effective in managing constipation, in
association with a number of causes including surgery,
childbirth and the use of narcotic pain relievers (Hill, 1992).
It is used locally as anti-malaria drugs, especially when it
is used in form of decoction (the leaves, bark) (Lose et al.,
2000). In traditional medicine, the fruit is used for the
treatment of fever, skin disease, constipation, diabetes,
hypertension, and insomnia (Kinhorn and Balquadrin,
1992). Various extracts of leaves, stem bark, and flowers
of S.siamea were screened for its anti-malarial activity.
Most of the activities described were determined in vitro on
Plasmodium falciparum strains (Jun et al., 2012 and
Hussian, 1991).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Sample collection and preparation
S. siamea leaves were collected within Kashere metropolis
from the available S. siamea trees. The leaves were
identified at the Department of Biological Sciences,
Faculty of Science, Federal University Kashere. They were
washed, air-dried and stored away for the various
analyses.
Extraction
The sample was extracted using cold extraction, in an
aspirator bottle with 2.5 liters of distilled water for 48 hours
after which it was filtered and concentrated using rotary
evaporator at a 100oC to yield a dark greenish gum. This
was then used for phytochemical screening following
standard procedure as described by Sofowora (1993),
Trease and Evans (2002).
Elemental and Proximate Analyses
Determination of elemental proximate compositions of S.
siamea leaves were done using the methods described by
AOAC (1990) and James (1995).
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Table 1: Result showing the Phytochemical screening of
S. siamea leaves
Phytochemical Constituent Observation
Alkaloids (Dragendoff’s)
Saponins
Tannins
Steroids
Anthraquinones
Phylobatannins
Flavonoids
Terpenoids
Volatile Oils
Cardiac glycosides
Glycosides (general)
Resins
++
+
+++
+
-
-
+
+++
+++
++
+
-
Key: +++ Present in high amount
++ Present in Moderate amount
+ Present
- Absent

3. Phytochemical Screening, Proximate and Elemental Analyses of Senna siamea (Lam.) leaves from Kashere metropolis of Gombe State, Nigeria.
Int. Res. J. Chem. Chem. Sci. 084
The results showed that the leaves of S. siamea contain
the following metabolites: alkaloids, saponins, tannins,
steroids, terpenoid, flavonoids, volatile oils, glycosides,
which are the basis of therapeutic potentials of medicinal
plants. Anthraquinones and Phylobatannins were not
detected which negates the findings of Gritsanapan (1983)
and Nualkaew (1999). This probably could be the result of
geographical and climatic differences between regions
where both plant samples grow. The presence of tannins
as reported by Maynard (1997) is responsible for lowering
available protein by competition and can therefore elicit
protein deficiency syndrome, “Kwashiokor”. It is believed
that the role of saponin in plant is to protect against attack
by potential pathogens (Sparg et al., 2004). Flavonoids
elicit a wide range of therapeutic activities as
antihypertensive, anti-rheumatism as well as antimicrobial
as identified with flavonoids of Cassia siamea (Veerachari
and Bopaiah, 2011). Essiett et al., (2010) reported that
many plant containing flavonoids are diuretic and
antioxidants, the leaves and stems of this plant can be
equally applied in each case. Cardiac glycosides were
detected in this extract and this compound has been useful
in the treatment of asthma (Trease and Evans, 2002).
Table 2: Proximate chemical composition of S. siamea
leaves
Chemical composition Percentage (%)
Moisture Content
Ash Content
Crude Lipids
Crude Protein
Crude Fibre
Carbohydrate
7.43
20.62
3.00
21.88
13.00
34.07
Proximate analysis of a food is the nutritional composition
of that food. It is the estimate of the nutritive value of
human food in its chemical form. The proximate analysis
result shown in Table 2 above, revealed that S. siamea
contains essential nutrients, energy sources for good
human and animal health because of the high percentage
of protein, carbohydrate and fibre contents. The moisture
content was not high, indicating less chances of microbial
degradation of the drug during storage because excess
moisture can result in the breakdown of important
constituents by enzymatic activity and as a result may
encourage the growth of yeast and fungi during storage.
Table 3: Result for Elemental Analysis of S. siamea leaves
Elements Determined Concentration (%)
Ca
Fe
Pb
Cd
Mg
3.08
11.03
0.38
0.07
10.83
Some minerals are essential, required for normal
metabolism of organisms and various physiological
processes such as calcium, while others are non-essential
and play no significant biological roles. These mineral
values are useful for body functions which could be why it
is used in medicinal application (Kendeson et al., 2016).
The mineral profile (Table 3) showed the presence of Fe
and Mg, followed by Ca. However, the presence of Pb and
Cd in the leaves could be due to the toxicity of the
environment and hence detrimental to health as the action
level for Pb and Cd as recommended by WHO has been
exceeded (Abdulkadir et al., 2017).
CONCLUSION
S. Siamea leaves from Kashere metropolis were subjected
to proximate, phytochemical and elemental analysis.
Results obtained revealed 7.43 % moisture content, 20.62
% ash content, 3.00 % lipid content, 21.88 % protein
content, 13.00 % crude fibre content and 34.07 %
carbohydrate content. Phytochemical screening results
indicated high presence of terpenoids, tannins and volatile
oils; moderate presence of alkaloids and cardiac
glycosides; low presence saponins, steroids, flavonoids
and general glycosides. Quantitative elemental analysis
revealed the presence of iron, magnesium and calcium in
appreciable amounts of 11.03 %, 10.83 % and 3.08 %
respectively. S. siamea leaves is known traditionally to
cure malaria and typhoid fever within Kashere metropolis;
hence the study was to justify part of the claim by
traditional healers (herbalists).
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Accepted 9 January 2018
Citation: Kendeson AC, Abdulkadir AG, Danja AB, Abdu
Z, Alfazazi A (2018). Phytochemical Screening, Proximate
and Elemental Analyses of Senna siamea (Lam.) leaves
from Kashere metropolis of Gombe State, Nigeria.
International Research Journal of Chemistry and Chemical
Sciences, 5(1): 082-085.
Copyright: © 2018 Kendeson et al. This is an open-
access article distributed under the terms of the Creative
Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted
use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium,
provided the original author and source are cited.