AN EVALUATION OF RELATIVE STABILITIES OF SELECTED LOCAL HERBAL CONCOCTIONS STORED IN CALABASH FRUIT PODS AND CLAY POT CONTAINERS

Abstract

Following long standing cultural beliefs, clay pots and dried fruit pods of Lagenaria siceraria (calabash) have been traditionally used for storing herbal preparations in most communities in Africa. Natural products are often prone to deterioration, especially during storage, leading to loss of active component, production of metabolites with no activity and, in extreme cases, production of toxic metabolites. The study of possible deterioration of stored herbal formulations has seen little attention in the scientific community. It is therefore imperative to evaluate the stability of herbal formulations, particularly during storage. In addressing the issue of stability of stored herbal products, one important consideration is to investigate possible interaction between formulations and the storage containers which may result in contamination or loss of activity. The present study compares relative stabilities of three local herbal concoctions in northern Ghana: Yoggu , Dirigu and Sankpannantoo stored in calabash and clay pots for 768 hours. The concoctions were screened for phytochemicals. Their UV absorbance, pH and thin layer chromatography were determined at various time intervals and the results were used to monitor the stabilities of the formulations in calabash and clay pots. These formulations were also stored in glass and used as control. The result showed varying degree of change under room temperature during a 768 hours monitoring period. Statistical analysis of the results using F-Test Two-Sample for Variances revealed that the stability of identical concoctions stored in calabash was statistically different from those stored in clay pots (F > Fcrictical and P < 0.05 for all measured parameters) but was comparable to those stored in glass container (F < Fcrictical and P > 0.05 for all measured parameters). This result thus supports the continued storage of herbal formulations in dried calabash fruit pods in many rural communities in African.