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PHYTOCHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS OF THE HEXANE EXTRACT OF CEIBA PENTANDRA PLANT (TOTORO LEAVES)

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The use of plants for medicinal purposes has been a common practice for centuries, and it continues to be an important aspect of traditional medicine in many cultures around the world. Plants contain a wide variety of bioactive compounds, including phytochemicals, which have been shown to possess a range of therapeutic properties. The phytochemical constituents of plants can be extracted and used to develop new drugs or as alternative therapies for various diseases.

One plant that has been traditionally used in herbal medicine is Ceiba pentandra, commonly known as the kapok tree. The tree is native to tropical regions and is found in many countries, including West Africa, South Asia, and South America. In traditional medicine, various parts of the plant, including the leaves, bark, and roots, are used to treat a range of ailments, such as fever, malaria, and gastrointestinal disorders (Osoniyi & Onifade, 2003).

Recent research has focused on the phytochemical constituents of Ceiba pentandra, with a particular interest in the leaves of the plant. Several studies have investigated the chemical composition of the plant's leaves and their potential pharmacological activities. In this study, we focused on the hexane extract of Ceiba pentandra leaves and analyzed its phytochemical constituents using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).

Hexane is a non-polar solvent commonly used for extracting lipophilic compounds from plants. The use of hexane as an extraction solvent has been shown to be effective in extracting compounds such as fatty acids, sterols, and terpenoids (Rao & Ravishankar, 2002). In this study, we chose to use hexane as the extraction solvent to isolate the lipophilic compounds present in the leaves of Ceiba pentandra.

The aim of this study was to identify and analyze the phytochemical constituents of the hexane extract of Ceiba pentandra leaves and evaluate their potential pharmacological activities. The identification of bioactive compounds in Ceiba pentandra could contribute to the development of new drugs or the identification of alternative therapies for various diseases.

Ceiba pentandra has been extensively studied for its phytochemical constituents and pharmacological activities. The plant contains a wide range of bioactive compounds, including flavonoids, tannins, phenolic compounds, terpenoids, and alkaloids (Kakkar et al., 2012). Several studies have investigated the chemical composition of the plant's leaves, bark, and seeds, with a particular focus on their potential therapeutic properties.

A study conducted by Nwokocha et al. (2011) investigated the antidiabetic activity of Ceiba pentandra leaves in rats. The study found that the aqueous extract of the leaves significantly reduced blood glucose levels in diabetic rats. The authors attributed this activity to the presence of flavonoids and other phytochemicals in the plant.

Another study by Osoniyi and Onifade (2003) investigated the antibacterial activity of Ceiba pentandra bark extract. The study found that the extract had significant antibacterial activity against a range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The authors suggested that the antibacterial activity of the extract could be attributed to the presence of tannins and other phytochemicals in the bark.

Several studies have also investigated the chemical composition of Ceiba pentandra leaves. A study by Ojo et al. (2018) investigated the phytochemical constituents of the leaves using different solvents. The study found that the leaves contained various bioactive compounds, including flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, and saponins. The authors suggested that the phytochemical constituents of the leaves could be responsible for the plant's traditional use in herbal medicine A study by Adaramola et al. (2013) investigated the antioxidant activity of Ceiba pentandra seeds. The study found that the methanolic extract of the seeds had strong antioxidant activity, which was attributed to the presence of phenolic compounds in the extract. Another study by Nweze et al. (2015) investigated the antifungal activity of Ceiba pentandra bark extract. The study found that the extract had significant antifungal activity against several fungal strains.

Despite the numerous studies conducted on the pharmacological activities of Ceiba pentandra, there is still a need to investigate the phytochemical constituents of the plant's leaves, particularly those that are lipophilic in nature. In this study, we focused on the hexane extract of Ceiba pentandra leaves and analyzed its phytochemical constituents using GC-MS.

GC-MS is a powerful analytical technique used to separate and identify the components of complex mixtures, such as plant extracts. The technique involves the separation of the components of a