Medicinal plants have unique therapeutic properties and are therefore used in rural and urban areas for the treatment of various disease conditions and ailments. The phytochemistry, proximate and elemental compositions of methanolic, aqueous and ethanolic extracts from the leaves of Rothmannia longiflora and Rothmannia hispida were carried out using standard procedures. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, glycosides, saponins, tannins, reducing compounds and polyphenols in both species and in all the extracts. Hydroxymethyl anthraquinones were detected in methanolic and aqueous extracts while flavonoids were detected only in ethanolic extract. Proximate analysis revealed significant (p<0.05) differences in the contents of Rothmannia longiflora and Rothmannia hispida. The proximate contents (in %) were moisture: 58.7 ± 0.07 and 84.47 ± 0.02, protein: 9.19 ± 0.01 and 3.20 ± 0.01, fat: 15.43 ± 0.11 and 0.80 ± 0.11, ash: 11.30 ± 0.07 and 2.32 ± 0.02, crude fiber: 1.73 ± 0.15 and 1.42 ± 0.02, carbohydrate: 3.65 ± 0.29 and 7.79 ± 0.01 for Rothmannia longiflora and Rothmannia hispida respectively. Elemental composition results showed that Rothmannia longiflora contained (in ppm) sodium (Na) 16.37 ± 0.11, calcium (Ca) 10.02 ± 0.02, magnesium (Mg) 68.53 ± 0.11 and manganese (Mn) 0.02 ± 0.01. The results unraveled the pharmacological basis of the therapeutic applications of Rothmannia longiflora and Rothmannia hispida in traditional medical practice and as potential sources of useful drugs.
