Project Materials

EVALUATION OF NUTRITIVE PROFILE OF A VEGETABLE, PIPER METHYSTICUM, LOCALLY KNOWN AS AWA USING ATOMIC ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

An herb is a plant that is prized for its flavour, aroma, medicinal properties, or other characteristics other than its culinary use (John, 2000). They are utilised in cooking, as remedies, and for spiritual reasons. Herbs have a wide range of applications, including culinary and medical purposes.

Culinary herbs are used differently than medicinal herbs. Herbs are “generally recognised as safe” by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), at least at doses routinely found in foods (Kaefer et al, 2008). Medicinal plants continue to be effective medicinal agents in both modern and traditional systems (Reaven, 1983).

The leaves, roots, flowers, seeds, root bark, inner bark (cambium), berries, and occasionally the pericarp or other plant parts may be used medicinally or spiritually (John, 2000). Herbs (plants) are used medicinally because they contain phytochemicals that have effects on the body.

Until the twentieth century (Sanusi et al, 2008), most therapeutic medicines around the world were derived from plants. Purple forglove, for example, has been shown to help with dropsy, as has opium poppy for pain, cough, and diarrhoea, and cinchona bark for fever.

The development of chemical and pharmacological technologies in the twentieth century enabled the identification and study of plant active components. Furthermore, once the chemistry was known, it was easy to create similar compounds with better properties.

According to (Sodimu et al., 2008), the two most successful and commonly acknowledged medications for malaria treatment today emerged from herbal traditional medicine: quinine from the bark of the Peruvian cinchona tree and artemisinin from the Chinese antipyretic Artemisia annua L.

As a result, the medicinal properties of herbs have been discussed throughout history (John, 2000). There may be some consequences when taken in the little amounts that characterise culinary “spicing,” and some herbs are hazardous in higher doses.

For example, some herbal extracts, such as St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum) or awa (Piper methysticum), can be used to treat depression and stress (John, 2000).

However, (Milner et al, 2008), excessive doses of these herbs may cause toxic overload, resulting in consequences, some of which are serious, and should be used with caution. One herb-like chemical known as Shilajit may assist to reduce blood glucose levels, which is very essential for diabetics.

In comparison, (Metuh, 1987), the western understanding of medicine and the traditional African definition diverge in scope. In the traditional definition, it relates to a comprehensive concept of well-being, whereas in the Western understanding, it is strictly limited to physiological therapeutic reasons.

In his own comparative analysis of medicine, Nze emphasises the unique difference that identifies the traditional wholistic view of medicine (Metuh, 1987).

According to (John, 2000), modern pharmaceuticals evolved from crude herbal remedies, and many medications are still isolated as fractionate/isolate components from raw herbs before being refined to pharmaceutical standards.

Cannabis is one of those herbs that is used not only for culinary and therapeutic purposes, but also for psychotropic and/or recreational purposes (John, 2000).

However, several herbs and their bioactive components are being studied for disease prevention and therapy at concentrations that may exceed those routinely employed in food preparation (Milner et al, 2008).

It is therefore critical to identify any potential safety concerns associated with the use of various dosages, which range from those commonly used for culinary purposes to those used for medicinal purposes, because the boundaries between the various uses of herbs are frequently unclear (Milner et al, 2008). Other than therapeutic uses, herbs are sometimes used for holy purposes.

Based on “Chinese herbal medicine” Herbs are used in many religions, such as myrrh (Commiphora myrrha) and frankincense (Boswellia spp) in Christianity, the Nine Herbs Charm in Anglo-Saxon paganism, the Neem tree (Azadirachta indica) by the Tamils, holy basil or tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum) in Hinduism, and cannabis (Cannabis sp) is considered a holy plant by many Rastafarians (John, 2000). Siberian Shamans also employed medicines for spiritual reasons.

Plants can be utilised to create spiritual experiences, such as vision quests in certain Native American societies (John, 2000). Cherokee Native Americans utilise sage and cedar for spiritual purification and smudging.

Used for insect management. Gardeners know that herbs can help with insect management. Examples of such herbs are mint, spearmint, peppermint, and pennyroyal. When planted around a house’s foundation, these herbs can help repel unwelcome pests such as flies, mice, ants, fleas, moths, and ticks, among others. They are not known to be hazardous or dangerous to children, pets, or household fixtures (John, 2000).

1.2 Objectives of The Study

Piper methysticum, a plant utilised for medical and social purposes (Johnston et al, 2008), may have provided significant benefits to human health due to its biochemical, pharmacological, and medicinal qualities. The purpose of this study was to determine the trace element makeup of the leaf extract.