Academia Arena 2012;4(8) http://www.sciencepub.

net/academia

Proximate analyses, phytochemical screening and antibacterial potentials of bitter cola, cinnamon, ginger
and banana peel

SO Fapohunda*, Mmom, J U and Fakeye, F

Department of Biosciences and Biotechnology,Babcock University,Ilishan Remo

Nigeria
*oystak@yahoo.co.uk

Abstract: The proximate and phytochemical analyses were carried out on the dried and pulverized samples of
ginger; (Zingiber officinale), and cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum), banana(Musa acuminata) and bitter
kola(Garcinia spp) which were obtained from an open market in Ibadan, Lagos, and Sagamu in south west Nigeria.
Carbohydrate content in ginger and cinnamon were 71.315% and 66.69% respectively while for banana peels and
bitter kola values ranged from 43.08% to 74.81%. Proteus vulgaris and Klebsiella pneumoniae showed
susceptibility to extracts from bitter kola and banana peel.
[SO Fapohunda, Mmom, J U and Fakeye, F. Proximate analyses, phytochemical screening and antibacterial
potentials of bitter cola, cinnamon, ginger and banana peel. Academ Arena 2012;4(8):8-15] (ISSN 1553-992X).
http://www.sciencepub.net/academia. 2

Keywords: phytochemicals,bitter cola, cinnamon, ginger, banana peel, antibacterial

INTRODUCTION sun-dried to constant weight to remove the water

Incessant reported cases of tissue pathologies content and ground in preparation for further analyses.
arising from metabolic disorders or microbial invasion Proximate analyses were carried out in line
have invited increasing interest in local herbs as with standard AOAC (1984) methods
alternative therapeutic focus in Africa. Dental,
urinogenital tracts, gastrointestinal and other PHYTOCHEMISTRY
morbidities which are rampant among the hinterland Weight of lipid in sample
settlers and uninformed have made bioprospecting of Principle
medicinal plant extracts attractive. A near breakthrough One gram of sample was grinded using pestle
had been reported on oral infections (Topsoba and and mortar with 10mL of distilled water. The pulp was
Deschanmps 2006; More et al, 2008; Soukos and transferred into a conical flask containing 30mL
Godson, 2000), where the significant property was the chloroform-methanol (2:1, v/v) and mixed well. This
expression of good antibiofilm activity of the extracts( was kept overnight at room temperature in the dark.
Silva et al 2012) Treatment of prostate gland The mixture was then centrifuged at 5000 rpm for
enlargement using banana peels extracts (Fagbemiet al 10minutes. The upper layer was then discarded and the
2009Andrade et al , 2008; Akamine et al 2009), anti lower lipid layer was carefully collected into another
cariogenic activity and hepatoprotection with bitter beaker. The beaker was placed in warm water (500C) to
kola (Uju and Obioma 2011; Oze et al 2010); induction enable evaporation of residual chloroform.
of tumor cells and insulin resistance using cinnamon
(Wand et al 2007; Shan et al 2007; Kwon et al 2010) Calculation
and the suppression of osteoarthritis by ginger (Altman Weight of lipid in sample, g = (weight of
and Marcusse 2001; Lantz et al 2007, Stewart et al beaker + chloroform extract) – Weight of beaker.
1991; Ekwenye and Elegalam, 2005; Gur et al 2006;
Maluet al. 2009; Poeloengam 2011) are all encouraging 2.4.2 Determination of total phenols by
advantages of bioprospecting of plant materials for spectrophotometric method:
human use. The fat free sample was boiled with 50 ml of
The aim of the present study was to examine ether for the extraction of the phenolic component for
the contents of the various –plant materials with a view 15minutes. 5ml of the extract was pipette into a 50 ml
to justifying the expected therapeutic functions of the flask, then 10 ml of distilled water was added. 2 ml of
extracted phytochemicals. ammonium hydroxide solution and 5 ml of
concentrated amylalcohol were also added. The
MATERIALS AND METHODS samples were made up to mark and left to react for 30
The samples Garcinia kola, Cinnamon, minutes for colour development. This was measured at
Ginger and Musa acuminata, obtained from Ilishan , 505 nm.
Ibadan and Lagos markets in south west Nigeria, were

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Tannin determination by Van-Burden and content (17%),and the carbohydrate (74.81%) present
Robinson (1981) method: in bitter kola is higher than that of banana peel which
500 mg of the sample was weighed into a 50 the moisture content (13.5%)and carbohydrate
ml plastic bottle. 50 ml of distilled water was added (43.08%).these values are different from what had
and shaken for 1 hour in a mechanical shaker. This was previously been reported for bitter kola (Eleyinmi et
filtered into a 50 ml volumetric flask and made up to al., 2006) reported a protein content of (3.95%),lipid of
the mark. Then 5 ml of the filtered mixture was pipette (4.33%), ash(1.14%),and crude fibre content of
out into a test tube and mixed with 2 ml of 0.1 N HCl (1.14%).It has been reported that that the moisture and
and 0.008 M potassium ferrocyanide. The absorbance ash contents of banana peels ranged from 78-94% and
was measured at 120 nm within 10 minutes. 1.25-8.80% respectively(Ankrah, (1974, Adewuyi et
al., 2008).The varying composition reported by
CULTURE PREPARATION researchers reflected the influence of environmental
The bacteria used in this study included conditions on nutrient composition of these plant
Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538, Proteus vulgaris materials.
KZN, Klebsiellapneumoniae ATCC 13047, K. The phytochemical analysis of the two
pneumoniae ATCC 4352, Micrococcus luteus, Bacillus extracts showed that the weight of lipid of bitter kola
cereus ATCC 10702, and Enterobacter cloacae ATCC (0.46g) is higher than that of the weight of lipid of
13047. The standard bacteria strains were obtained banana peel (0.22g). The total phenols of banana peel
from the culture collections of the Department of (8.86g) is higher than that of the total phenols of bitter
Microbiology and Biochemistry, University of Forte kola (6.3g). The tannin present in banana peel (0.32g)
Hare, South Africa and grown on Mueller Hinton agar is higher than the tannin present in bitter kola (0.23g).
and incubated at 350C for 16hrs prior to use, while The phytochemical compounds in this study are
slants were maintained at 40C.Their susceptibility to similar to the finding of (Adegboyeet al., 2008) while
the reference antibiotics was investigated. investigating G.kola. Earlier report has proven that
cinnamon can serve as a n antibacterial against
DETECTION OF INHIBITORY ACTIVITIES SalmonellaandListeria (Shan et al., 2007) suggesting
AGAINST BACTERIA that it has bioactive compounds that can serve as food
The disc diffusion technique was adapted preservatives.
using Whatman s filter paper. The (10-3 dilution) were
maintained on Mueller Hinton agar. The pure culture PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS
of each bacterium was inoculated in peptone water for The weight of lipid of bitter kola (0.46g) is
18 hrs. and the growth of organisms was observed as higher than that of the weight of lipid of banana peel
turbidity determined by a spectrophotometer The (0.22g). The total phenols and tannins in banana peels
extract was impregnated into the filter paper discs with were higher than those in bitter cola (Table 4,5 and 6).
the use of methanol and distilled water which served as
the solvent at concentrations of 5mg/ml inside a Petri SPECTRA PROFILE OF PHENOLICS FROM
dish and placed in the incubator at 350C for 2 hours. THE OIL SAMPLE OF BANANA PEEL
After drying, a sterile forceps which was regularly In bitter cola the compounds detected were
flamed was used in picking 10 filter paper discs one at tannin, phloroglucinol and gallic acid within the stated
a time into each of the Petri dishes containing the wavelengths (Fig 3). Using the standard wavelength
different seeded organisms. The Petri dishes were characteristics of phenolic compounds found in plants,
incubated at 350C for 16-18 hours and observed for the phenolics that can be found within this range were
zones of inhibition. gallic acid, purpurogallin and phloroglucinol (Fig. 4).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION SENSITIVITY TEST

The result of proximate analysis of the sample The agar filter paper disc method showed that
presented in (Table1) shows that the crude protein Proteus vulgaris KZN andKlebsiellapneumoniae
(6.42%), crude fat (2.16%), crude fibre (17.84%), ATCC 13047 were the most susceptible to the
ash(3.16%) of banana peel is higher than that of bitter antibacterial activities of bitter kola and banana peel.
kola which crude protein (4.32%),crude fat (0.99%),
crude fibre (1.26%), ash (1.61%). While the moisture

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Figure 1: Spectra profile of phenolics of cinnamon

Figure 2: Spectra profile of phenolics of ginger

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Figure 3: Spectra profile of phenolics of bitter cola

Figure 4: Spectra profile of phenolics of banana peel

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Figure 5: Antibacterial potentials of the methanolic and aqeous extracts of bitter cola (C) and banana peel
(D).

TABLE 1: Proximate analyses (%)of the plant samples.

FAT FIBRE ASH MOISTURE PROTEIN CHO

BITTERKOLA 0.99 1.26 1.61 17 4.32 74.8
BANANA PEEL 2.16 17.84 3.16 13.5 6.42 43.08
CINNAMON 14.61 2.24 3.17 5.25 8.03 66.7
GINGER 1.41 4.6 3.60 13.55 5.54 71.3

TABLE 2: Phytochemical screening of the plant samples

OIL CONTENT(g/g) PHENOL (g/g) TANNINg/g

BITTERKOLA 6.3±0.36 0.46±0.01 0.236±0.002
BANANA PEEL 8.87±0.47 0.22±0.02 0.327±0.004
CINNAMON 0.45±00.1 0.496±0015 15.53±0.66
GINGER 0.37±0.005 0.447±0002 7.06±0.25

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Table 3: ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITIES OF GINGER AND CINNAMON

BACTERIA ZONES OF INHIBITION(mm)

Ginger Cinnamon
- Enterobacter cloacae ATCC 13047 2.4 NIL
- Bacillus subtilis KZN 3.5 0.8
- Salmonella typhi ATCC 13311 NIL 1.2
- Escherichia coli NIL NIL
- Klebsiella pneumoniae 2.5 6.1
- Staphyllococcus aureus OK 2b NIL 4.5
- Bacillus cereus 0.5 0.5
- Proteus vulgaris 5.8 5.5

The result of antimicrobial sensitivity on the for potash production. International Journal of
tested organisms shows that Proteus vulgaris was the Physical Science:2008. 3(3), 63-6
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