By Wahua, C; Francis, OV (2024). Greener Journal of Biological Sciences, 14(1): 28-33.

Greener Journal of Biological Sciences Vol. 14(1), pp. 28-33, 2024 ISSN: 2276-7762 Copyright ©2024, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International. https://gjournals.org/GJBS

Article’s title & authors

Proximate and Morpho-Anatomical Properties of Luffa cylindrica (L.) Rox. (Cucurbitaceae).

^*1Wahua, Chika; ² Francis, Ogoma Victoria

^{1, 2} Department of Plant Science and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, University of Port Harcourt, Choba, P.M.B. 5323, Nigeria.

ARTICLE INFO	ABSTRACT
Article No.: 033124043 Type: Research Full Text: PDF, PHP, HTML, EPUB, MP3	Luffa cylindrica (L.) Rox. used in relieving pains due to arthritis, muscles and chest; restoration of absent menstrual periods, nasal swellings, sinus problems and recently in removing pollutants from (waste) waters, is worth noting. Hence, this research investigated the proximate and morpho-anatomical properties of Luffa cylindrica (l.) Rox. (Cucurbitaceae); for proximity sake was harvested from University of Port Harcourt. The meter rule was used in plant parts measurement: root-collar to terminal bud, leaf tip to petiole base and across lamina, at widest region. Free hand sections used for anatomical studies. The proximate analysis was by AOAC Official Methods of Analysis. The morphological description of the loofa used revealed an annual climber, with fruits made of fibrous vascular connective underneath the exocarp. The micro-morphological studies revealed presence of uniseriate and glandular trichomes. The stomata are anomocytic and amphistomatic and for the adaxial foliar surface, were concentrated at region closer to the margin of lamina. Vascular bundles are bicollateral and open. Nodal anatomy is trilacunar with 3 leaf gaps and 3 leaf traces. The proximate composition were: 72.29 % moisture; 10.89 % carbohydrate; 1.46 % ash; 8.75 % proteins; 1.70 % lipid and 4.91 % crude fiber respectively. Loofa is gaining increasing importance as a raw material for industrial workforce and as a potential cash crop. Hence, these information would improve on already existing knowledge about sponge gourd.
Accepted: 03/04/2024 Published: 08/04/2024
*Corresponding Author Wahua, Chika E-mail: chika.wahua@ uniport.edu.ng, osihelen11@ gmail.com Phone: +2348064043448
Keywords: Proximate, Morphology, Anatomy, Cucurbits, Luffa cylindrica.

INTRODUCTION

Members of the Cucurbit family include among others the following principal genera: Luffa, Momordica, Trichosanthes, Cucumis, Cucurbita, Citrullus, Lagenaria, Bryonopsis, Corallocarpus etc., composed of about 134 genera and 965 species (Dhiman et al., 2012; Paris et al., 2017; The Plant List, 2013). Loofa is a sub topical plant commonly referred as sponge or vegetable sponge used for medicine and food (Oboh et al., 2009). The origin of Loofa is yet to be confirmed, but may have originated from America (Mazali and Alves, 2005). The cucurbits are herbaceous. The Loofa species having large leaves, the foliage is whole or in deep lobes and they can be climbing or creeping plants. The flowers have different sexes and a large inferior ovary. Fertilized ovary develops into a fruit possessing hard exocarp, fleshy mesocarp and endocarp (Joly, 1993; Souza et al., 2013). L. cylindrica leaves are compound, oblong to cylindrical with 3 sub divided lobes, herbaceous climber with bright yellow flowers (Hutchinson and Dalziel, 1954; Akobundu and Agyakwa, 1998). Many cucurbits’ fruits have been ingredients for the culinary and are eaten when immature or mature as salads, sweets, desserts or pickled (Lorenzi, 2008; Lorenzi et. al., 2015). Loofa has potential economic uses. With regard to industrial and technological development. Loofa has been effectively used to remove various pollutants from (waste) waters, to remove toxic metals, dyes, and other emerging pollutants from aqueous solutions, (Anastopoulos and Pashalidis, 2020). L. cylindrica has phytotherapeutic values for anti-diabetic, anticancer, antiulcer, nephron protective and analgesic properties (Patel and Ghane, 2021). The nature of subsidiary cells in some members of Cucurbitaceae had obviously been reported as anomocytic (Metcalfe and Chalk, 1979). The findings championed by de Barry (1984) made clear of base footed trichomes in the epidermal layer in Cucurbit family. More so, Inamdar and Gangadhara (2008) revealed the existence of 26 sub types of trichomes in Cucubits. Little or no work done on nodal anatomy of Loofa. Reports on quantitative mineral and proximate analyses of Loofa in South–West Nigeria, had been showcased by Ogunyemi et al. (2020) with the following compositions: Protein content 35.83%; Carbohydrate 13.67%; Fat 33.93%; Fiber content 4.58%; Moisture content 5.84% and Ash content 6.13%, while energy value was 503.3 Kcal. The under utilsation of L. cylindrica as an economic plant, has arisen the interest to investigate the proximate and morpho-anatomical properties of L. cylindrica (L.) Rox. (Cucurbitaceae). These information would improve on existing knowledge of the plant.

 

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Morphological Studies

Luffa cylindrica (L.) Rox observed growing in the University of Port Harcourt at a particular spot, was harvested and sent to the Herbarium for proper identification and was assigned UPH/P/438 for reference purposes. The meter rule was used to ascertain morphological measurements of plant parts that concerns plant length (root-collar to the terminal bud); length of leaf (leaf tip to petiole base) and width of leaf (across lamina, at widest region).

Epidermal Studies

Fresh leaves collected were peeled chemically using Nitric acid, which infiltrates the leaf with air bubbles thereby creating space between the upper and lower leaf surfaces. Proper handling of needle, the mesophyll layers were separated and made to pass through ethanol solutions of 50%, 75% and 98% for 5 minutes to neutralize the acid and facilitate picking Safranin O stain easily for 2 minutes, rinsed with water, counter staining with Alcian blue in same time interval; following method of Cutler (1978). Slides with clear visibility were photo-micro graphed with Leica WILD MPS 52 Microscope Camera staged on Leitz Dra Microscope.

Anatomical Studies

Plant organs (leaf, stem and root) were trimmed to size and fixed in 1 part of Formaldehyde to 1 part of Glacial Acetic to 18 parts of 70% ethanol for 48 hours minimum, to gradually kill and preserve the cells. The leaf at point where branched veins met with mid rib, the root, and the internodal and nodal regions were sectioned. Free hand sections were done following the method of Wahua (2020). Thereafter, the sections were made to pass through alcohol solutions of 50 %, 70 % and absolute alcohol for a period of about 10 minutes in each, for clearing purposes, returned back to 50 % in each for about 5 minutes. These sections were subjected to staining using 1 % safranin ‘O for 2 minutes, and counter staining with 1 % Alcian blue in same time interval after rinsing.

Proximate Properties

The AOAC (1990) method was employed for the analysis of the proximate composition done as shown below:

Carbohydrate (cleg anthrone method)

 

The formula used for carbohydrate analysis is as showcased below: Equation 1.

Proteins (kjeldahl method)

The protein analysis was done using the formula shown below: Equation 2.

Where 1.4 = Nitrogen equivalent to HCL normalty used in the titration is 0.1 N

100 =Digest dilution total volume.

100 = % factor 0.1 g of sample

1000 = conversion factor from gram to milligram

20 = integral volume of digits analyzed

0.1 g = weight of sample digested in gram

Lipid (soxhlet extraction technique)

% lipid composition calculated using the formula: Equation 3.

Moisture (air oven method)

The % moisture content was analyzed using the formula as shown below: Equation 4.

Crude fiber

The % crude fiber composition was done using the formula below: Equation 5.

Where W1 = weight of sample extracted

W2 = weight of oven dried residue which was cooled and weighed.

W3 = weight of dried residue heated and reweighed

Ash (Furnace Method)

The % ash was calculated using the formula as shown below: Equation 6.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Morphological Study

Luffa cylindrica (L.) Rox. is a climbing herb with divided foliar organs in to three lobes measuring about 7 – 20 cm across. The floral organs are brilliant yellow which develop in to smooth oblong to cylindrical fruits after fertilization having hard exocarp, fibrous mesocarp with many seeds. The luffa cylindrica described here is in line with those given by Mazali and Alves (2005), Hutchinson and Dalziel (1954) and Akobundu and Agyakwa (1998). Plate 1 and table 1.

Plate 1: Luffa cylindrica (L.) Rox. Arrow revealed yellowish pentamerous flower. Scale bar represents 95cm.

Table 1: Morphological Properties of Luffa cylindrica (L.) Rox

Descriptive features	Luffa cylindrical
Foliar organs (the leaves)	Compound, oblong to cylindrical with 3 sub divided lobes up to 15 ± 5 cm across.
Stem	Herbaceous, greenish, penta- to hexagonal polygon in transverse section, climber and could grow up to top of shrubs and small trees.
Flowers	Brilliant yellow, pentamerous,
Fruits	Oblong to cylindrical with smooth exocarp, fibrous mesocarp and numerous seeds, up to 60 cm in length.

Epidermal Studies

The micro-morphological studies revealed presence of trichomes and glandular ones most of which are branched. The stomata are anomocytic and amphistomatic in accordance to Desai, 1992 and Metcalfe and Chalk (1979). See plates 2a, 2b and 2c.

Plate 2 a: Abaxial Foliar epidermis; 2 b: Adaxial foliar epidermis; 2c: Adaxial surface showing stomata concentrated towards margin of lamina. Red Arrows revealed glandular trichome bases; and black arrows stomata.

Anatomical Studies

Plate 3 a: Luffa cylindrica Mid-rib anatomy from one single mid vein, not basal; 3b: Tendril anatomy; 3 c: Stem anatomy; 3 d: Petiole anatomy; 3 e: Root anatomy; 3 f: Nodal anatomy, arrows revealed leaf gaps. All in Transverse Sections (T.S.). Ep – Epidermis, Co – Collenchyma, Pa – Parenchyma, Pi- Pith, Vb- Vascular bundle, Xv – Xylem vessel, Xy-Xylem, Tr. Trichome, Ph.- Phloem, Cx –Cortex, Gt – Ground tissues, Hy – Hypodermis, Mt –Median trace, Pe – Petiole, Lt – Leaf trace. Vascular bundles bicollateral and open.

The transverse sections conducted revealed a row of epidermal cells. The hypodermal layer is composed of 2 to 3 rows of collenchymatous cells, while 7 to 10 rows of parenchymatous cell observed in the general cortex, and the pith predominated with parenchyma. See Plate 3 a, b, c, d, e and table 2.

The nodal anatomy is trilacunar with 3 leaf gaps and 3 leaf traces, there might be very scanty or no work done on nodal anatomy of Luffa cylindrica. Vascular bundles are bicollateral and open.

Proximate Analysis

Some of the proximate compositions given here varied to some extent those given by Ogunyemi (2020), especially the 5.84% moisture content varies considerably with 72.29 % moisture; but the 8.75 % proteins, 1.70 % lipid and the 1.46 % ash contents were not very high as also supported by Ogunyemi (2020). See table 2.

Table 2: Proximate composition in Luffa cylindrica

Proximate Contents	Luffa cylindrica quantitative composition
Moisture	72.29%
Carbohydrate	10.89%
Ash	1.46%
Proteins	8.75%
Lipid	1.70%
Crude fiber	4.91%

CONCLUSION

Luffa cylindrica serves as medicine and vegetable for both man and animals. It is underutilized due to unforeseen reasons in Nigeria. Be that as it may, it is gaining increasing awareness. Presence of trichomes and glandular ones, alongside stomata, which are anomocytic and amphistomatic. The moisture content is the highest, followed by the carbohydrate and proteins when compared with all other proximate contents done by others.

 

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Cite this Article: Wahua, C; Francis, OV (2024). Proximate and Morpho-Anatomical Properties of Luffa cylindrica (L.) Rox. (Cucurbitaceae). Greener Journal of Biological Sciences, 14(1): 28-33.

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