Phytochemical Investigation of Artocarpus heterophyllus, Artocarpus altilis and Artocarpus camansi

Ebele Josephine Ikwuanusi — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Many tropical communities rely heavily on underutilized plants to meet their dietary and therapeutic needs, yet a lack of detailed comparative data on closely related species often hinders their full pharmacological exploitation. This study presents a comparative phytochemical investigation of Artocarpus heterophyllus, Artocarpus altilis, and Artocarpus camansi to map their secondary metabolite distributions across different plant tissues. Fresh leaves and stems from each species were collected from Aguluezechukwu in Anambra State, Nigeria, and authenticated at Nnamdi Azikiwe University (Vouchers: NAUH-264A, NAUH-077B, and NAUH-265A). The samples were oven-dried at 80 degrees Celsius, pulverized, and processed using standard organic solvent extraction protocols. Qualitative screenings were conducted to identify major chemical classes, followed by quantitative evaluations of flavonoids, saponins, tannins, phenols, alkaloids, and hydrogen cyanide levels. Qualitative tests confirmed the presence of all targeted phytochemicals at varying concentrations across the three species. Quantitative analysis revealed that A. camansi produced the highest leaf flavonoid yield (12.08 ± 0.38%), while A. altilis accumulated the highest stem flavonoid concentration (6.27 ± 1.21%). Statistical analysis showed no significant difference (p > 0.05) in comparative flavonoid yields among the species. Conversely, a highly significant variation (p < 0.05) was observed in saponin distribution; A. heterophyllus yielded the highest saponin concentrations in both its leaves (37.69 ± 0.58%) and stems (27.17 ± 0.60%). Phenolic content peaked significantly in the leaf extract of A. altilis (42.11 ± 1.33%), which also displayed the highest overall stem tannin accumulation (13.66 ± 0.51%). Alkaloid fractions remained uniform and low across all samples, and hydrogen cyanide levels safely peaked at 3.13 ± 0.65 ug/g in A. heterophyllus leaves. In conclusion, while these Artocarpus species share foundational taxonomic traits, they exhibit distinct, tissue-specific variations in their secondary metabolite distribution. These findings provide a clear chemotaxonomic baseline that validates their targeted applications in traditional medicine and establishes a structured framework for future pharmaceutical isolation protocols.

Spatial distribution and diversity of mosquito vector in Ndufu-Echara, Southeast, Nigeria

Mon, 06 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Mosquitoes vectors transmit diseases of public health importance such as Dengue fever, Zika virus disease, malaria, lymphatic filariasis, yellow fever, west nile fever and chikungunya. Mosquito distribution significantly influences disease transmission risks. This study investigated the species composition and relative abundance of mosquitoes vector species in two selected villages in Ndufu-Echara, Ikwo LGA, from June to August 2025, to understand their distribution pattern and potential influence on disease transmission. Mosquitoes were collected using two standard methods: the Human Landing Catch (HLC) for outdoor sampling and the Pyrethrum Knockdown Catch (PKC) for indoor sampling. A total of 342 mosquitoes representing three genera and five species—Anopheles gambiae, Culex quinquefasciatus, Aedes vittatus, Aedes aegypti, and Aedes albopictus—were identified from two study sites. Culex quinquefasciatus had the highest relative abundance (40.34%) in Site 1, while Aedes vittatus showed the lowest (1.73%) in Site 2. Overall, 333 mosquitoes were collected across both methods, with 189 (97.36%) obtained via PKC and 144 (107.46%) via HLC. Aedes aegypti (20.89%) and Anopheles funestus (8.21%) were more abundant in HLC collections, while Aedes albopictus (14.29%) dominated PKC catches. Culex quinquefasciatus was also more frequent in HLC (43.28%) than PKC (28.59%). Diversity analyses revealed that Site 2 exhibited a slightly higher Shannon–Wiener diversity index (1.63) and evenness (0.91) than Site 1 (1.62 and 0.90, respectively). Margalef richness was higher in Site 2 (1.03) than Site 1 (1.02), while Simpson’s dominance index was greater in Site 1 (0.26) than Site 2 (0.23). There was significant difference in the populations of different species of mosquitoes collected with PKC and HLC collection method at (P = 0.001). These findings demonstrate spatial variations in mosquito distribution to prevent disease outbreaks in the area

International Journal of Avant-Garde Biosciences and Public Health

Phytochemical Investigation of Artocarpus heterophyllus, Artocarpus altilis and Artocarpus camansi

Spatial distribution and diversity of mosquito vector in Ndufu-Echara, Southeast, Nigeria