ISSN 2169-3048
International Journal of Biochemistry and Biotechnology ISSN 2169-3048 Vol. 9 (3), pp. 001-004, March, 2020. © International Scholars Journals
Short Communication
Bioactive metabolites in improved cowpea seeds
Ameen, O. M.1*, Fatope, O. M.2, Usman, L. A.1 and Adebayo, S. A.1
1Department of Chemistry, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria.
2Chemistry Department, College of Science, Sultan Qaboos University, Al-Khod Oman.
Accepted 12 November, 2019
Abstract
The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) has developed some pest and disease resistant cowpeas. From these the seeds of 8 cowpea cultivars were extracted with ethanol, and partitioned into chloroform and water- soluble fractions, the water-soluble fraction was further extracted with ethyl acetate. Residues from ethanol, chloroform and ethyl acetate soluble fractions for each of the 8 cowpea cultivars were screened against brine shrimp larvae. The seed extracts of cowpea cultivars IT93K – 596– 9 – 12, IT90K – 277 – 2 and IT93K – 452 – 1 were found to be most active, indicating that they contain cytotoxic compound(s).
Key words: Cowpea, bioactive compund, biotechnology, brine shrimp larvae, cytotoxicity.