Studies on a Medicinal Plant - Jatropha curcas (Leaves); It’s Free Radical Scavenging Activity, Phytochemical and Antibacterial Analysis of Its Butanol Crude Extract

The use of different plant parts for the prevention and cure various diseases as an alternative to
orthodox medicine is gathering more attention. Moreso, resistance to orthodox drugs has been
confirmed in various researches. The free radical scavenging activities of Jatropha curcas
(Euphorbiaceae) leaves, phytochemicals present in its butanol crude extract as well as the
antibacterial activities of its butanol crude extract were accessed. The leaves of J. curcas were
washed, air-dried and pulverized for active extraction of the composition of the plant in butanol.
Fresh leaves of the plant were tested for its DPPH (2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) scavenging activity
(indicator of antioxidant), while the butanol crude leaf extract was accessed for the presence or
absence of phytochemicals and was also tested against some gram positive and gram negative
bacteria all according to standard procedures. The result of the free radical scavenging activity of the
leaves (74.73 mg/kg) was higher than that of ascorbic acid (31.01 mg/kg) (a standard antioxidant).
The qualitative analysis showed the presence of alkaloids, tannins, saponin, flavonoids, steroid,
phenols phlobatanins and cardiac glycoside. The quantitative analysis on the other hand showed the
presence of alkaloids in an appreciable amount (0.567%), followed by saponin (0.316%) while others
had relatively low values (below 0.19%). The average values of the antibacterial (inhibitory) activity as
compared with standard antibiotics used had no significant difference except for Pseudomonas sp.
which was very low to the antibiotics used. It could be concluded that the leaves of J. curcas is of
great medicinal potential.