Abstract

Environmental factors are known to affect genes in various ways. They are affecting the gene products including the production of both primary and secondary metabolites, hence the need to assess the phytochemical and nutritional compositions of Morinda lucida Benth and Alstonia  boonei De Wild growing in Nsukka, Enugu state, south eastern Nigeria. The qualitative analyses of the plant parts showed the presence of all the tested phytochemicals in various levels ranging from trace (+) to very heavily present (++++). The quantitative estimates showed significant variations in their values in leaves, stems bark and roots in some phytochemical components. Results of the proximate also showed the contents of protein were 2.46 - 17.69 and 1.45-2.1; fats 0.49-1.88 and 0.84- 1.4; carbohydrates 68.76- 81.63 and 17.81- 31.38; and ash 2.33-2.9 and 0.78- 2.75 in M. lucida and A. Boonei plant parts, respectively. Vitamins A, E and K and anti-nutritional factors, phytate and oxalate also varied in the leaves, stems bark and roots. The results showed that these medicinal plants grown in Nsukka, a Derived Savanna Agro-Ecology, are rich in phytochemicals and proximate nutrients. The rich presence of these phytochemicals and other nutritive values supports the use of the different parts of these plants in ethno-medicine and equally creates the possibility for their use in drug formulation.

 Key words:  Alstonia  boonei, ethno-medicine, Morinda lucida, phytochemicals, Nsukka.