Abstract

Alkaloids, anthraquinonnes, cardiac glycosides, flavonoids, phlobatannin, polyphenols, saponins, steroids, tannins and terpenoids were ten groups of infochemicals studied in the foliage and stem-bark of Senna siamea (Lam.), a plantation species grown in Yola. The experimental design was the Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four replications. Results obtained from the experiments indicated that all the ten groups of infochemicals were present in this plant species. It was further observed that there were significant difference between the tree parts of foliage and stem-bark for four infochemicals (alkaloid, flavonoid, saponins, and total phenols) determined (p > 0.05). Generally, there were more amounts of total phenols (17.49 ± 0.17) than that of the other infochemicals. However, alkaloids, flavonoids and saponins did not differ significantly at p < 0.05 with mean values of 0.06 ± 0.01, 0.06 ± 0.01, and 0.19 ± 0.06 g/g respectively. The results implied that the species had potentials in pharmaceutical, agrochemical and in other allied industries.

Key words: Infochemicals, tradomedicine, allelopathy, phytotoxicity.