FUW TRENDS IN SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY JOURNAL
(A Peer Review Journal)
e–ISSN: 2408–5162; p–ISSN: 2048–5170
keywords: Crotalaria species, fabaceae, hepato-toxicity, pyrrolizidine alkaloids
A Phytochemical analysis of four species from the genus Crotalaria (known as Bi-rana or Biya-rana in Hausa) was carried out to determine the presence of toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) – chemical compounds known to have medicinal as well as toxic properties to human and veterinary animals. The analysis was conducted on the leaves and aerial parts of C. lachnosema, C. microcarpa, C. naragutensis, and C. retusa (Family: Fabaceae) by extracting the alkaloids with 1% H2SO4 in 50 % aqueous ethanol. General alkaloid tests were carried out on the extracts as well as specific PA test using Ehrlich reagent [4-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde (5 g) dissolved in a mixture of acetic acid (60 ml), water (30 ml), and 60% perchloric acid (10 ml)]. Thin layer chromatographic analysis was conducted by extracting the PAs with dichloromethane and developed on silica gel plate using hexane-ethyl acetate (1:1). The plate was treated with Ehrlich spray reagent (1 g p-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde in 100 ml ethanol + 15 ml concentrated hydrochloric acid) heated at 950C for 15 min. to reveal the presence of PA as purple and blue spots in all the extracts. The results of the study suggest the presence of potentially hepatotoxic PAs in the leaves and aerial parts of the four plants samples.
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