Ficus capensis Stem bark extract Proximate analysis Phytochemical screening Mineral composition Ethanolic extraction Maceration technique Alkaloids Flavonoids Saponins Terpenoids

Ficus capensis, a wild fig tree remains the most readily available remedy to many of human problems. The free oxygen we breathe in comes from plants and many more nutritional and health benefits which are yet to be discovered. This is why the proximate analysis, phytochemical screening, mineral content and the ethanol isolate of Ficus capensis stem bark extracts were investigated. The proximate analysis, phytochemical screening and mineral content analysis were carried using standard methods and the Ethanolic extracts were obtained by maceration technique. The proximate analysis of the stem bark extracts revealed; 60.12%,
20.35% and 8.37% for carbohydrate, crude fibre and moisture content respectively. The presence of active phytochemical constituents such as alkaloids, glycosides, flavonoids, saponins, terpenoids, phenolics and eugenols were detected in the stem bark. Among the minerals present in the stem bark was potassium which gave the highest concentration of 17.7ppm respectively.
Others were Na (12.60ppm), Ca (5.62ppm), Mg (1.63ppm), Fe (5.30 ppm) and Cr (0.05 ppm). This study suggests that the plant samples have useful phytochemicals and minerals which can have useful pharmacological effects and also serve as nutritional supplement. The results of the ultraviolet-visible, gas chromatography spectral and infra-red analysis reveals the presence of
carboxylic acid and nitro functional group in the UV-VIS, for GC-MS spectra the compound detected were benzoic acid, 2-nitroso, acetic acid e.t.c and for IR analysis reveals the presence of Amines, alkyl group and alcohol functional group.