Phytochemical study of the plant species Cestrum nocturnum L. (solanaceae) and Nerium oleander L. (apocynaceae)

Abstract

The use of medicinal plants species as an alternative to pharmaceutical medicines is a practice with great potential due to Ecuador's rich biodiversity. The study is justified by the lack of scientific evidence supporting the consolidation of herbal medicine within the Ecuadorian health system. The primary objective is to conduct a phytochemical study of extracts obtained from leaves of Cestrum nocturnum L. (Solanaceae) and Nerium oleander L. (Apocynaceae), two species with traditional medicinal use. The methodology employed includes the collection of samples from the Botanical Garden of the Technical University of Manabí. The leaves were dried at temperatures of 40 and 50 °C, and the extracts were obtained using Soxhlet, maceration, and ultrasound methods. Chemical tests were conducted to identify the presence of phenols, alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, catechins, and reducing sugars. Additionally, the antioxidant activity of the extracts was evaluated using the ABTS and DPPH methods. The main results indicate that the maceration method produced the highest phenol content in Cestrum nocturnum L. (56.763 ± 1.583 mg GAE/g DS), while the Soxhlet method was more effective for Nerium oleander L. (60.334 ± 2.997 mg GAE/g DS). In terms of antioxidant capacity, Cestrum nocturnum L. showed higher values with 229.247 ± 7.259 μmol Trolox/g DS compared to Nerium oleander L. The main conclusions suggest that Cestrum nocturnum L. has greater antioxidant potential, supporting its use in herbal medicine. This study provides a scientific basis for the integration of these plants into Ecuador's health system.