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Preliminary studies on the physicochemical properties of the root of Aristolochia albida plant

Yahaya. Mobmi

 The root of Aristolochia albida plant is believed to have good medicinal values. Other   cultures believed that it has some mystical powers. The root of Aristolochia albida were obtained, dried and pulverized. It was used for the physicochemical analysis of the components present. The hexane, aqueous and methanolic extracts were phytochemically screened to determine the secondary metabolites present. Also, the root sample was used for proximate and spectrophotometric analysis. The results showed that both the aqueous and methanol extracts of the root of Aristolochia albida plant contain phytochemicals like alkanol, tannin, flavonoid, cardiac glycoside and Terpenoids whereas the extract of n-hexane contain alkanol, tannin, flavonoid, cardiac glycoside, saponin and Terpenoids. Also, the proximate analysis of the extracts showed that the root of Aristolochia albida had ash content of 11.83(mg/100g), Carbohydrates of 45.37(mg/100g), Crude protein of 19.36 (mg/100g), Fat       of 10.21(mg/100g), Crude fibre of 9.38(mg/100g) and Moisture content of 3.75(mg/100g). The mineral contents of the plant showed that K was 24.93(mg/100g), Na was 33.54 (mg/100g), Ca was 33.38(mg/100g), Mg was 39.53 (mg/100g) and Zn 47.83(mg/100g). More studies should be carried out to determine its mystical powers and the component responsible for that.

There are around 500 species in the family Aristolochia and most of these species are conveyed in the tropical district, with certain exemptions range as north as Canada, Scandinavia, and Northern Japan. They may develop as climbing plants, as short crawling spices and a couple are bush like (Hutchinson, 1973, Watson and Dallwitz, 1992, Gonzalez, 1999). Aristolochia species are herbaceous perennials, undershrubs or bushes, regularly scandent, scrambling, twining, once in a while lianas, for the most part with prostrate or tuberous rhizomes or rootstocks, and substitute, pinnate, polymorphic or lobed leaves bearing fundamental oils. Types of Aristolochia were broadly disseminated in tropical, subtropical and calm areas of the world.