DATURA METEL

Throughout the world, plants are used traditionally to treat many ailments, particularly infectious diseases, such as diarrhea, fever, cold as well as for birth control and dental hygiene. This is as a result of the presence of various secondary metabolites in them. In this study, the leaves of D. metel were collected, dried and pulverized. Then, the powdered sample was extracted using ethyacetate solvent and screened for the presence of phytochemicals. After this, the extract was characterized by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) to determine its specific constituents. The result of the phytochemical study showed the presence of five (5) out of nine (9) secondary metabolites that were investigated. These include glycosides, phenolics, alkaloids, steroids, and eugenols. However, the following metabolites such as saponins, terpenoids, flavonoids, and tannins were absent. The HPLC study showed an abundance of useful constituents with pharmacological activities such as atropine, scopolamine and quercetin. These compounds have been seen to perform health remediating functions such as antidepressant, anti-inflammation, anxiolytic, and many more. The findings of this study proves the D. metel plant is composed of useful bioactive substances. Therefore, the D. metel plant has a huge potential in performing medicinal functions to humans, so it is advisable to either consume it or utilize it in the discovery of novel drugs.