Most of the plants in the ginger family Zingeberaceae are well-known for their medicinal properties. However, the genus Hornstedtia found in Sabah is less reported. This research aims to investigate the phytochemical constituent and vitamin C content of a fruit, locally known as the Tolidus fruit in Sabah. The dried fruit sample was extracted using three solvents which were water, ethanol and methanol. The phytochemical constituents were determined using standard Colour Test for the presence of alkaloid, flavonoid, saponin and tannin. Then, the content of Vitamin C was determined using the standard Colorimetric Titration and ascorbic acid as standard. The phytochemical evaluation revealed that all three targeted constituents were present in all extracts except for the alkaloid. The vitamin C content was determined in both dried and fresh sample of fruits, where 52.84 mg was quantified in the fresh fruit aqueous extract and 23.93 mg in the dried fruit aqueous extract respectively. These results are comparable to the content of vitamin C in orange and lime fruits. The phytochemical evaluation and vitamin C content of Tolidus suggested the potential of this underutilised fruit to be the natural and affordable source of vitamin C. Additionally, may protect the body against harmful free radicals. However, further analysis is needed to determine other constructive natural contents and evaluate the efficacy of this fruit as a natural source of antioxidant
Plants have sustained the life of man since the beginning of the time. Their functionalities go beyond being wood for fire, instead, they are able to protect, provide and nourish. The many purposes of plants have been described by many. In this article, we will describe functional plants through the chemical perspective particularly the biologically active secondary metabolites. The initiatives in natural products studies can be traced to the early years of man when plants were used for health and treatment management as documented in traditional materia medica. In modern days, numerous phytochemicals have become the main ingredients in drugs, foods, cosmetics and many more after detailed and rigorous research programs which determine their safety and efficacy. In Malaysia, and Sabah in particular, efforts are planned and carried out to identify potential traditional plants that will be beneficial in their truest forms.
Etlingera coccinea, a native Borneon Zingiberaceae are found to exert allelopathic effect on some weed species. The objective of this study is to investigate the allelopathic effects of hexane (80%), methanol (80%), ethyl acetate (80%) extracts from the dried powder of both stem and leaf of E. coccinea on mung bean (Vigna radiata) and Siam weed (Chromolaena odorata). The phytochemical screening of both stem and leaf crude extracts elicited saponin, tannin, flavonoid, and terpenoid, which are targeted bioactive compounds for allelopathy. The allelopathic activity was assessed by evaluating their effects on seed germination and percentage of radicle and shoot growth. The results showed that both stem and leaf extracts have a suppressive effect on the mung bean development during in-vitro bioassay. The methanolic extracts of both stem and leaf showed the most significant suppression (100%) than other solvent extracts. In the pot experiment, the methanolic stem extracts suppressed the Siam weed’s germination by 57 ± 0.13% and the methanolic leaf extracts suppressed the growth by 46 ± 0.29%. The present study shows that E. coccinea methanolic extract has the potential as bio-herbicide.