Gas Chromatography –Flame Ionization Detector, Phytochemical and Quality Control of Unripe Musa Sapientumthrough UV-Vis Spectrophotometric analysis

Abstract

Musa sapientum(banana) is widely consumed for its health benefits. Its pulp, peel, leaves, bark as well as whole fruit is used in reducing the risk of chronic diseases of clinical interests. This study aims to find out whether or not there are any distinctive phytochemical constituents present in unripe Musa sapientum peel, pulp and whole fruit hydromethanolic extract using GC-FID techniques and to demonstrate the importance of spectral data in contribution to quality control of its medicinal properties. The UV-VIS profile showed different peaks ranging from 200-900 nm with different absorption respectively. UV-VIS profile showed 9 peaks with three distinct peaks at 240 nm, 400 nm, and 700 nm for both pulp and its peel while 22 peaks with four at 220 nm, 290 nm, 550 nm and 600nm for whole fruit. GC-FID analysis provided characteristic peaks determining the presence and concentration of phytochemical compounds in peel, pulp and whole fruit. Three major phytoconstituents were found almost exclusively in peel, including, Isoflavones, lunamarine and sapogenin while proanthocyanidin and resveratrol were exclusively in its pulp. Spartein, phytates, tannins and isoflavones were absent in whole fruit. The concentration of flavone was minimal. In conclusion, the study justifies the nutritional and medicinal properties of the plant and also represents an additional support to the quality control of their fruit drugs. The presence of the distinctive phytochemicals may be mechanistic link for the specific-efficacy of their physio-pharmacologic and therapeutic activities. Ingested together, these study data suggests that peel, pulp or whole fruit supplementation may be a potential alternative to conventional treatment for various types of infirmities and may confer other potential industrial, nutritional and medicinal advantages.