Qualitative phytochemical and GC-MS analysis of some commonly consumed vegetables

The aim of this research work is to unveil the phytoconstituents of some commonly consumed leafy vegetables which are Talinum triangulare (water leaf), Telfairia occidentalis (fluted pumpkin) and Occimum gratissimum (scent leaf). Freshly harvested vegetables were separately processed into fine powder. 15 g, each of the vegetable powder samples was extracted with methanol. Phytochemical and GC-MS analysis was carried out on the samples using standard procedures. The analysis showed that methanolic leaf extract of fluted pumpkin contains tannins, saponins, phenolics, proteins, anthraquinone and alkaloids with the presence of tannins and saponins being more abundant. However, enquiry into the phytoconstituents of Talinum triangulare leaf indicated that all phytochemicals investigated were reportedly present with saponins and alkaloids being more abundant. For O. gratissimum leaf, tannins, saponins, flavonoids, steroids, phenolics, proteins, anthraquinone and alkaloids were reportedly present. However, like T. occidentalis, tannins and saponins were more abundant. GC-MS analysis carried out on the methanolic leaf extract of T. occidentalis revealed that nine compounds were present. The five most abundant of the nine compounds include n-Hexanoic acid (35.23%), 9, 12, 15-octadecatrienal (12.4%), imidazolidinedione-5-methyl (10.96%), L-Proline, 5-oxo-, methyl ester (9.76%) and 3- [Prop-2-enoyloxy] tetradecane (8.96%). Meanwhile, O. gratissimum showed the presence of only phenol-2-methyl-5-(1-methylethyl) (90.73%) as the major constituent, while eight (8) compounds were found present in the methanolic leaf extract of T. triangulare (water leaf) and the five more abundant of the eight include pentanoic acid (28.28%), DL-proline,5-oxo-methyl-buthylester (24.89%), 3 pyridinecarboxyaldehyde, O-cetyloxine (E) (21%), Z-dodecanol (12.68%) and 4-pyridinol (4.61%). Findings from this research further support the claim on vegetables as repositories of nutraceuticals.