ASSESSMENT OF NICKEL LEVELS IN CASSIA OCCIDENTALIS AND LEPTADENIA HASTATA USED AS

FOOD IN NORTHERN NIGERIA

Sheshe, S.M1., Bello, H.J1,2,Kiyawa, S.A3., Maigoro, A.Y1., Labbo, A.M1,4., Dangambo, M.A*5 1Departmenn of Bioscience, COMSATS institute of Information Technology, Islamabad 2Deparment of Biomathematics, National Mathematical Centre, Abuja 3Department of Chemistry, Northwest University, Kano 4Deapartment of Biochemistry, Sokoto State University, Sokoto 5Department of Biochemistry, Bayero University, Kano.

BACKGROUND

-To confirm the presence of nickel in leaves of

the plant C. Occidentalis and L. hastata

obtained at Panshekara area of Kano state

-To determine the toxicity levels of nickel in

leaves of the medicinal plant of study.

OBJECTIVES

Nickel is a heavy metal whose toxicity level is

associated with lung cancer, larynx cancer

and prostate cancer, heart disorders, birth

defects and respiratory failure. This research

was aimed to study nickel levels in two

commonly used plants (Cassia occidentalis

and Leptadenia hastata) as medicine and food

in northern Nigeria.The Leaves were oven

dried, grinded, sieved and transferred into

sample bottles followed by ashing and

digestion using perchloric acid method. The

levels of Nickel in the leaves were determined

using atomic absorption spectrometry. The

results were compared using t-test and levels

of Nickel in Leptadenia hastata (20.0 ± 4.000

in mg/kg) was statistically insignificant

compared to Cassia occidentalis (23.3 ± 7.638

in mg/kg). From the present study, it was

established that the Nickel levels of both

plants were within accepted range as

recommended by World Health organization

(WHO).

ABSTRACT

The plant was obtained at Panshekara Area,

located at Kumbottso Local Government

Area of Kano state in Nigeria. Leaves of

plant were taken to Botanical Garden of

Bayero University Kano for Identification.

The plant was identified and assigned a

vocher registration number of BUK HAN

248. The leaves were oven dried and

subjected to ashing and digestion with

perchloric acid. The quantitative elemental

analysis was carried out using atomic

absorption spectrometry

METHODOLOGY

These plants are widely used in Northern Nigeria as food as

well as traditional medicine. From the result of the study the

level of the assessed nickel in the leaves of the plants were

said to be within accepted range.

Aliyu., Nuhu, A.A. (2008). Effects of Cassia occidentalis aqueous leaf extract on

Biochemical markers of tissue damage in rats: Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical

Research, 7 (4): 1137-1142

Ibrahim, H.A., Aliyu, G.Y., Halilu, S.N., Usaini, S. and Abdullahi, I.I. (2012).

Ethanobotanical survey of wild edible food plant consumption among local

communities in Kano state north-western Nigeria; Journal of science and technology

2: 713-717

Togola, A., Austerheim, I., Theis ,A., Diallo, D. and Paulsen, B.S. (2009)

Ethanophamarcological uses of erythrina senegalensis: a comparison of three areas in

mali and a link between traditional knowledge and modern biological science. African

Journal of medicinal sciences. VOL.1 pp. 9-12

Nickel is a heavy metal whose toxicity level is

associated with lung cancer, larynx cancer and

prostate cancer, heart disorders, birth defects

and respiratory failure. This research was

aimed to study nickel levels in two commonly

used plants (Cassia occidentalis and

Leptadenia hastata) as medicine and food in

northern Nigeria.The Leaves were oven dried,

grinded, sieved and transferred into sample

bottles followed by ashing and digestion using

perchloric acid method. The levels of Nickel

in the leaves were determined using atomic

absorption spectrometry. The results were

compared using t-test and levels of Nickel in

Leptadenia hastata (20.0 ± 4.000 in mg/kg)

was statistically insignificant compared to

Cassia occidentalis (23.3 ± 7.638 in mg/kg).

From the present study, it was established that

the Nickel levels of both plants were within

accepted range as recommended by World

Health organization (WHO).

Plants have being used as food as well as medicine for

millions years and some plants contain certain heavy metals

such as Pb, As, Zn, etc. Cassia occidentalis is used as food

(vegetable) (Aliyu and Nuhu, 2008) and medicinal plant for

treatment of many diseases such as hepatitis (Ibrahim et al.,

2012). Decoction of the leaves of L. hastata with the bark of

Erythrina senegalensis is either taken orally or used as a

medicinal bath to treat onchocercosis in Mali (Togola et

al.,2009). High levels and bioaccumulation of heavy metals

can lead to many diseases (Oluyemi et al., 2008).

RESULTS

REFERENCES

CONCLUSION