EVALUATION OF SOME MINERALS ELEMENTS COMPOSITION OF LASIANTHERA AFRICANA (EDITAN) LEAVES

EVALUATION OF SOME MINERALS ELEMENTS COMPOSITION OF Lasianthera africana (EDITAN) LEAVES

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

• Background of the Study

Lasianthera africana is a perennial glabrous shrub of the family lcacinaceae whose height may reach from 61 to 136 cm and is widely distributed in the tropical rain forest (Hutchinson and Dalzrel, 1973). There are four enthno varieties distinguished by their taste, leaf colour and ecological distribution. Their leaves are majorly consumed as vegetable in southern Nigeria. Ethnobotanically Lasiantheral africana is used as analysic, antidiabetic and antimalarial (Okokon et al., 2007). Biological activities reported on lasianthera Africana include bacteriostatic (Hah, 1997) fungicida (Hah, 1996) and antiulcer (Okokon, et. al, 2007). The leaf has been reported to contain alkanoids, terpenes, saponins, fannins flanonoids and cardiac glyconsides with LD50 value of 5000mg Ikg (Okokon et al., 2007).

Lasianthera africana invariably contribute significant component of the diet of the people. It is consumed singly or combine in soup, as in the local delicacies “Editan’ soup in Ibibio (Asaolu et al., 1997) reported that Lasianthera africana are widely consumed in the processes, semi processed or raw form as part of a main dish or salad because of the taste and flavor added to the food.

It also play an important role in the maintenance of good health as source of nutrient, which are usually in short supply in daily diets, the nutrient in Lasianthera africana can be absorbed and used as regulatory and protective material, as