Pharmacognostic Investigation and Mineral Analysis of Dried Powdered Young Leaves of Traditional Medicinal Plant Mezoneurum benthamianum Used for the Treatment of Heartburns/Pyrosis in Sierra Leone

Pharmacognostic investigation involving organoleptic evaluation, fluorescent analysis, phytochemical screening and mineral analysis of the dried powdered Leaves of Mezoneurum benthamianum plant used for the treatment of heartburns/pyrosis in Sierra Leone has been carried out. The results indicate that the dried fine powdered leaves of Mezoneurum benthamianum plant was light green in colour, spicy odour and slightly bitter, gave fluorescent derivatives with the reagents 1M NaOH (aq), 1M NaOH(alc.), Ammonia, 50% HCl, and 50% HNO3 which is one of the parameters for pharmacognostic evaluation of crude drugs in traditional medicinal plants and contained the following secondary plant metabolites; carbohydrates, alkaloid, flavonoids, proteins, sterols/terpenes, tannins and saponins. Elemental analysis of plant organ investigated was performed with a Niton XL3t GOLDD + Hand held X-ray Fluorescence (Thermo Fisher) and the results indicated that the plant organ investigated contained large amounts of nutrients and was rich in K (31249 ± 180.00 ppm), Ca (19394 ± 188.00 ppm), Mg (8086 ± 1470 ppm), Al (2536 ± 220.00 ppm) and Fe (1101.80 ± 17.60 ppm). The other elements present in smaller quantities were Ti (253 ± 16.00ppm), Mn (235.77 ± 14.27 ppm), Sc (102 ± 16.00ppm), Zn (86.24 ± 2.91ppm), Sr (66.99 ± 0.91ppm), Zr (49.89 ± 0.92ppm), Rb (41.32 ± 1.00 ppm), Cu (19.36 ± 4.30ppm) and Mo (6.01 ± 0.77ppm). Ethno medical information of Mezoneurum benthamianum plant indicated that the plant is widely used across West Africa for the treatment of piles and ulcers, as depurative and mildly laxative, cure colic, laxatives and stomach troubles all of which are symptomatic of heartburns/pyrosis in traditional medicine. The presence of the above secondary plant metabolites and the concentration of Zn (86.24 ± 2.91ppm) being much higher than Cu (19.36 ± 4.30ppm) in the dried powdered Leaves of Mezoneurum benthamianum plant support the use of the plant in traditional medicine and as a food supplement