Author(s): Maryjoe Ihejirika, Osaretin Albert Taiwo Ebuehi, Ngozi Awa Imaga, Victor Kanu and Precious Edmunds

Abstract: Spices are essential as food and as medicine. They enhance the natural flavour of cuisines and can be used to alter the appearance of food to make it more appealing in colour. Two spice samples which include C. longa and C. zeylanicum were selected for this present study. Antioxidant, phytochemical analysis (including GC-MS analysis), and nutritional composition were carried out on their aqueous and ethanol extracts in this study. The phytochemicals reported include; alkaloids, glycoside, tannins, saponins, terpenoids, flavonoids, phenols and steroids. Alkaloids were present in all the samples except the aqueous extract of C. longa. Glycoside was present in all the samples. Tannins, steroids and terpenoids were present in all the samples, while flavonoid was present in only the ethanol extract of C. zeylanicum and aqueous extract of C. longa. The presence of phenols, tannins and flavonoids in appreciable concentrations tells the antioxidant potential these spices possess. Cinnamaldehyde, which is detected in the ethanol extract of C. zeylanicum, has been shown to reduce NO generation in LPS-stimulated macrophages. This further explains the potential anti-inflammatory C. zeylanicum possesses. Therefore, the results obtained may help find the active ingredients and provide a helpful chemical basis of these spices in the management of diseases for future research.

DOI: 10.33545/26174693.2017.v1.i2a.98