RloselCnce Research Communications Vol 15, No 6, December 31, 2003 Printed in Nigeria 0795-8072/2003 $12 00 + 0 00 © 2003 Klobex Academic Publishers htlp //www klobexpublishers.com RRC 2003045/15607 The morphology and preliminary phytochemistry of Albizia saman (Jacq.) F. Mull A. E. Ayoilele*, D. K. Ibidun and A. A. O. Ogunshe Department of Botany and Microbiology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria (Received: September 26,2003). ABSTRACT: I be morphology and phytochemistry of Albizia saman have been investigated. The leaflets arc elliptic to oblong with attenuate to obtuse bases. I hc leaf apex is obtuse while the surface is glabrous with an entire margin. I pidermal cells arc irregular to polygonal with straight to curved anticlinal walls on the adaxial surface. On the abaxial surface, the cells are polygonal with straight to slightly curved anticlinal walls. The leaves are hypostomatic with nnomocytic stomata. Trichomes arc simple, unscrialc and restricted to the abaxial surface of the leaf. Pollen grains arc large and stibprolatc occurring either as monads occasionally or as poiyads in most cases. Photochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, cardiac glycosides and saponins in the leaf. Keywords: Morphology, Phytochemistry. Albizia sama. introduction Athizia senna (Jacq.) F. Mull. (syn. Samanea saman (Jacq.) (Merr.) is a member of (he subfamily Mimosoideae in (he l.eguminosae. It is a large to massive treewith a rounded crown usually broader than tall (Hutchinson and dalziel, 1958. Burkill, 1995). The flowers occur in loose heads with greenish yellow corolla and dark pink stamens. The fruits are flat fleshy black pods which arc elongated and thick but compressed, pulpy within and containing numerous seeds (Burkill, 1995). A saman, otherwise referred to as the rain tree or Monkey pod is native to tropical South America but introduced to many tropical countries including Nigeria. Gflana, India, Burma and Malaya (Burkill, 1995). It is a fast growing tree which is favoured by hot, moist conditions but still capable of growing in dry and barren soil. It is commonly grown as a shade tree for roadside avenues in many towns and villages in Africa. A. Saman is of high economic value. The leaf is made into an infusion for treating blood pressure while the seed is chewed for inflammations of the gums and in the mouth and throat. The foliage and pods are good cattle fodder while the sugary pulp is edible and is like a jam or preserve. The high content of the sugar in the pods is utilized to produce alcohol by fermentation (Burkill, 1995). The plant is common sight on the University of Ibadan campus. It lays the major roads on the campus providing shade for passers-by along the routes. The tree is sometimes debarked for medicinal purposes by the inhabitants of the University community. To whom correspondence should be addressed. F.-mail: [njyoilolc(t(!valu)o.coin 463 UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY As part of the project investigating the seeds of this plant as suitable alternative to those of Parkin higlohosa (Jacq.) R. Ur. Ex. Don in the preparation of the local condiment - 'In i’, this study is aimed at investigating the morphology of the plant as well as identifying the secondary mctabolistes which may be present in the Nigerian material. It is envisaged that the results obtained will enhance the botany of the plant as well as provide characters for its identification. Materials and Methods Specimens o f A. saman were studied at the herbarium of the Department of Botany and Microbiology, University of Ibadan (IJIlf), Ibadan and at the Forestry research herbarium (Fill), Ibadan. Fresh materials were collected and studied from the University of Ibadan campus, Abeokuta, Ijebu-lgbo and Ago-lwoye. Voucher specimens are deposited at the University of Ibadan herbarium. Morphology Characters of the leaf were assessed on mature leaves at comparable positions in all the available specimens. The characters include both qualitative e.g. leaflet, shape, apex, base, margin and surface as well as quantitative e.g. leaflet length, width, petiole length, blade length and number of leaflets per leaf. Others are pod length, pod width and number of seeds per pod. Over 500 pods were examined. Epidemiol Preparation Four specimens were assessed for the plant. Epidermal preparation followed the method of Shetcolu and Ayodeie ( 1997). Drawings were made using a wild M12 microscope with camera lucida attachment. Pollen Preparation Drier! flower buds of A. saman were used for the preparation. The Acetolysis method of Erdtman ( 1960) was followed. The pollen grains were observed, studied and drawings made using a wild M 12 microscope with Camera Lucida attachment. Phytochemical Screening The leaves o f A. saman were used. The leaves were obtained early in the day at about 8.00 am, dried at room temperature for eight weeks and later ground into powder with the aid of a mortar and a pestle. The leaves were screened for the presence of alkaloids, saponins, tannins and anthraquionones using the methods of Odebiyi and Sofowora (1978) and Trease and Evans (1995) with slight modifications. The extract of the powdered leaves which was obtained by boiling with a small aliquot o f distilled water was concenlratedto a small volume and then diluted to obtain a clear but concentrated solution. Standard aliquots of the test solutions were reacted with mayer’s dragenduffs and Wagner’s reagents for alkaloids, while freshly prepared 0.1% FeCI? and bromine water were used for tannins. I’he frothing test was used for saponins. The Borntrager’s test was used for the detection of anthraquinones while the Keller-Killani test was conducted for cardiac glycosides. Results Macro morphological features The leaflet of A. saman is elliptic to oblong in shape with an obtuse apex and an attenuate to obtuse base. I he surface is glabrous with an entire margin. The leaflets at the apex have a mean size of 3.9 x 1.9 cm2 while middle leaflets have a mean size of 2.6 x I 3cm2. The smallest leaflets occur towards the base 361 UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY with a mean size o f i .5 x 0.5cm2. The petiolules have mean values of i .3, I. I and 0.9cm for the apex, middle and basal leaflets respectively. There are usually about six leaflets per leaf of A. soman. The pods have a mean size of 16.2 x 1.7cm2 with about seventeen seeds per pod. Epidermal Morphology The adaxial epidermal cells are irregular or polygonal in shape, about 24.3pm in diameter. Anticlinal walls are straight to curved on this surface. Trichornes and stomata are also absent from the surface (Fig. la). However, on the abaxial surface, the cells are polygonal with straight 10 slightly curved anticlinal walls about 3QNm in diameter. Stomata and Trichornes are present on this surface. The stomata are of the anoinocytic type with the surrounding cells indistinguishable from other epidermal cells. The trichornes are unicellular, simple and uniseriate and are usually densely distributed (Fig. lb). Fig.la 5 PctTn Figure la: drawing of adaxial epidermal surface o f A. soman showing irregular to polygonal cells with straight to curved anticlinal walls. F'igure II): Drawing of abaxial epidermal surface of A. soman showing polygonal cells with straight to curved anticlinal walls. 463 UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY The pollen grains of/I. soman occur mostly in clusters i.e. as polyads (fig. 2I> and c). A few of the pollen occur singly (Mg. 2a). Each polyad contains about eight to twenty three grains with the equatorial diameter ranging between 100pm and 125pm (Fig. 2). The grains ate spherical in shape, bilateral and large. Each grain i.e. monad may be triangular, obtuse, convex or quinquangular with a mean size of 3d.2 x 25.8pm and a polar axis/equatorial (I’/E) ratio of 132.6. The grains are subprolate and large (Fig. 2). Pollen Morphology 5 tl rnm Figure 2: Pollen grains of A. soman a. Single grain b&c Clustered grains. Pin ’tochem ic'al Screening The study revealed the presence of alkaloids, cardiac glycosides and saponins while tannins and antraquionones were not detected in the leaves. Discussion Alhizia soman is an important plant which dominates thuentrance of the University o f Ibadan through the main gate. Its huge spreading brandies and consequent massive domed crown provide shade to passers-by along the major routes of the University. However, the importance of this plant transcends just the shade it provides, as it is extensively used in medicine for treating blood pressure and inflammations of the gums, throat and mouth. The plants is also used to regulate male fertility as it has been found to interfere either with sperm production and maturation (Oliver - Bever, 1986) or with sperm storage or with their transport in the female genital tract. It’s spermicidal activity to rat and human sperm (Oliver-Bever, 1986) lias been found to be associated with compounds linked to a particular sequence o f sugar moieities (Oliver-Bever; 1986). l he phytochemical screening showed that alkaloids, saponins and cardiac glycosides are present while anthraquinones and tannins are absent. Pithecolobine and samarin are alkaloids which have been detected in the bark, the earlier also in the wood, leaves and seed (Burkill, 1995). T he presence of cardiac glycosides which has not been earlier reported may indict the plant in the treatment of heart related •166 UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY problems. It has been suggested that the high sugar content of the pods can be utilized to produce alcohol by fermentation (Burkill. 1995). The fermentation of the seed to produce local condiment akin to Uru’ o f parhia hiyjobo.su has been successfully achieved in the department of Botany and M ic r o b io lo g y , U n iv e r s i ty of Ibadan and that success actually initiated this complementary part of the study. Except for a general description of the pollen of the Leguminosae and the Mimosoideae in particular by l-rdtman ( 1986), this is about the first time the pollen of Albizia sanum isbeing documented. According to krdtman ( I 986). the pollen grains in the Leguminosae are single or united in tetrads or polyads. Monads are usually 3 - colporate sometime provided with 2, 4. or 6 apertues and ranging from peroblate to prolate. Albiria samu pollen grains are usually in polyads and sometimes occur singly (monads), large and subprolate. The hypostomatic nature of the leaves, curved walls and polygonal cells in A. suntan arc mainly regarded as mesophytic characters (Stace, 1965) and this is evident in the distribution of the species particularly in Nigeria. A. simian therefore remains a very valuable tree plant with all parts useful and whose resources are waiting to be utilized for the benefit o f mankind. References BurkiH. II.M. (1995). The useful plant of WeslTropieal Africa, families J-L. Royal Botanic gardens, kew. 857pp Erdtman, (5. (I960). The acetolysis method-a-revised description. Svensk Bot. Tidskr 54. 561 - 564 Erdtman, G. (1986). Pollen Morphology and Plant taxonomy. Brill, E.J. and Leiden. The Netherlands, 533pp. Hutchinson, J. and Daiziel, J. (1958). Flora of West Tropical Africa. Vol. I. part 2. Crown Agents for Overseas Governments and Administrations, London, 828pp. Odebiyi. 0 .0 . and Sofowora, E.A. (1978). Phytochcmical Screening of Nigerianmedicinal Plants. Part 11. I India 4 I: 234 246. <)liver-l.3ever, B.F..P. 119'86). Medicinal Plants in tropical West Africa. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge. London. 375pp. Sheteoln, A.O. and Ayodele, A.E. (1997). Epidermal morphology of the genus Dialium (Eabaceae: Caesalpinoideae). Eeddes repertorium 108(3-4): 151-158. Stace, C. A. (1965). Culicular studies as an aid to plant taxonomy. Bull. Brit. Mus. (Nat. I list.). BOI'4: I 78. Treuse, G.E and Evans. W.C. (1995). A Textbook of Pharmacology, I3lh edn. Bailliere Tindall ltd.. London. 6l7pp UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY