Abstract

The present study was conducted for the leaves extract of Moringa oleifera L (Moringeaeae) in different solvents: Fermented maize marsh (Omidun /FMM), hot water (HW), cold water (CW), palm-wine (PW), ethanol, dichloromethane (DCM) and n-hexane to determine the effects of solvent properties on the extraction yields and the compositions of dietary minerals (k, Ca, Mg, Zn, Cu, and Fe) for M. oleifera. The observed yields follow the trend: PW > CW > FMM > ethanol >HW > DCM> n-hexane. Fermented maize marsh extracts recorded the highest mean compositions for Ca and Mg (560.50 ± 34.5 and 485.75 ± 67.32); palm-wine extracts recorded the highest compositions of Fe and Cu (7.42 ± 1.22 and 0.50 ± 0.01), while cold water and hot water extracts recorded the highest compositions of K (2045.14 ± 265.02) and Zn (2.16 ± 0.11) respectively. The lowest concentrations of these trace metals which range from 0.06 ± 0.01 to 6.47 ± 0.35 was recorded in n-hexane extracts. Statistical analysis of the mineral constituents using two sample t-tests studies at p < 0.05 also revealed great significant differences between the means of the mineral elements in the extracts except in few cases. The high yields of these extracts in PW, CW and FMM indicate that these solvents have great affinity and similar solubility properties for the different compositions of M. oleifera.

Key words: Moringa oleifera, fermented maize marsh, solvatochromic, extraction, toxicological.