Phytochemical properties and nutritional status of Azadirachta indica leaf ethanolic extract from Iddo Sarki in FCT, Abuja Nigeria

Abstract

Nature has been a vital source of medicinal agents for thousands of years, with about 25% of modern drugs derived from plants and 80% of the global population relying on plant-based treatments. Azadirachta indica has a long history of medicinal use. This paper aims to evaluate the nutritional status and phytochemical properties of neem leaves collected from Iddo Sarki in FCT, Abuja, Nigeria, for their potential use as an anti-stress and hepatoprotective agent in liver repair. Fresh leaves of A. indica were harvested, air-dried, and ground before being extracted with 75% ethanol using a Soxhlet extractor to obtain a concentrated filtrate for phytochemical evaluation and proximate values. Phytochemical screening for phenols, alkaloids, glycosides, flavonoids, steroids, terpenes, tannins, and saponins were conducted, and proximate analysis was performed on the ethanolic extraction of the A. indica leaves. Among the phytochemicals, alkaloids (1.38 ± 0.01 %), flavonoids (0.73 ± 0.01 %) and saponins (0.42 ± 0.01 %) were found in significant quantities, while terpenes (0.25 ± 0.01 %), tannins (0.23 ± 0.01 %), steroids (0.20 ± 0.00 %) and phenols (0.18 ± 0.01 %), were present in moderate amounts, while low quantities of cardiac glycosides (0.12 ± 0.01 %), reducing sugars (0.12 ± 0.01%) and Anthraquinones was 0.03 ± 0.01 % were also detected. The leaves exhibited high carbohydrate content (78.12±0.35 %), the levels of moisture (9.50±0.24 %), fiber (5.92 ± 0.47 %), ash (2.81 ± 0.21 %), lipids (2.07 ± 0.35 %) and protein (1.58 ± 0.34 %) were relatively low while Vitamins A (180 ± 0.10 mg/100g) and C (287 ± 6.22 mg/100g) were least. The presence of these phytochemicals suggests potentials to activate antioxidant enzymes beneficial for hepatoprotection and contribute to the therapeutic potential of the leaves. The pharmacological properties of A. indica indicate potential anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antimicrobial effects, making it relevant as a supplement in animal and fish feed, as well as in medical, veterinary, and pharmaceutical applications. This justifies its use in traditional medicine and supports its potential as an anti-stress and hepatoprotective agent in liver repair.