Phytochemical Screening and Nutritional Composition of Datura Innoxia Mill Extract as Traditional Medicine for Certain Illnesses in Eastern Part of Sierra Leone.

The aim of the present study was to determine the phytochemical and nutrient compositions of two morphological parts of D. innoxia; leaf and seed in order to provide Phytochemical and nutrient information about it. Phytochemical and nutrient composition was carried out on Datura innoxia leaf and seed.  Phytochemical screening result revealed the presence of atropine, alkaloids, scopolamine, essential oils, saponins, flavonoids, polyphenols, as well as cardiacs glycosides; while tannins, Coumarins, Carboxylic acid and Valepotriates were absent in all the plant parts examined. The phytochemical screening based on the standard methods of tube reactions has been performed with ethanol extracts. The quantitative estimation of total polyphenols was made by the Folin-Ciocalteu method and that of flavonoids by the use of aluminum trichloride. The phytochemical screening revealed that leaves and seeds of this plant contain alkaloids, polyphenols, flavonoids, coumarins, tannins, triterpenes and saponin. Phenolic contents of ethanol extracts are 30.97 ± 0.33 mg equivalent gallic acid / g in leaves and 14.02 ± 0.15 mg equivalent gallic acid / g in seeds; those of flavonoids are 15.13 ± 0.2 mg equivalent of quercetin / g in the leaves and 4.93 ± 0.41 mg equivalent of quercetin / g in the seeds. The three tests showed that the leaves have a higher level of antiradical activity in vitro than seeds. The nutrient composition analysis indicated significant (P < 0.05) variation in crude protein content which ranged from 2.09% in the root to 17.21% in the leaf, moisture content (10.00% in seed to 7.5% in seed), crude lipid content 15.52% in the seed and 7.5% in the leaf. Total ash was highest in the leaf (21.59%) and least in the seed (8.26%) while nitrogen free extract was (46.67%) and 42.25% in the seed and leaf respectively. The phytochemical screening of the D. innoxia revealed the presence of important pharmacological bioactive substances as well as medicinal and nutritional potentials in the leaf, seed, stem, pod and root. It is thus suggested that more studies on concentrations of active ingredients, anti-nutritional factors and toxicity level be carried out. The aim of the present study was to determine the phytochemical and nutrient compositions of two morphological parts of D. innoxia; leaf and seed  in order to provide Phytochemical and nutrient information about it. Further more there were some constrais/ limitation during the research with regards getting the seeds since it a seasonal plant and the study was only limited to the Eastern part of sierra Leone, Kenema to be specific