Abstract:
Two spectroscopic techniques: Laser-Induced Fluorescence (LIF) and
Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier-Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR)
spectroscopy and soil analysis were used to study and classify Anti-Malarial
Herbal plants (AMHPs) from four locations (Abrafo, Jukwa, Nfuom and
Akotokyere) in the Cape Coast metropolis. Deconvoluted peaks from the LIF
spectra of the AMHPs samples showed compounds such as berberine, quercetin,
flavanols presents in all the AMHPs samples. Principal component analysis
(PCA) showed the AMHPs samples were similar in chemical composition to
each other. The classification results (CR) obtained from the PCA models of the
LIF spectra was used to identify the AMHPs samples according to their
locations. The CR for the training sets was 100.00 % for Support Vector
Machine (SVM), 99.95 for K-Nearest Neighbour (KNN) and 99.23 % for Linear
Discriminant Analysis (LDA). For verification sets SVM and KNN were 100.00
% respectively while LDA was 98.23 %. The ATR-FTIR spectra of the AMHPs
samples were characterized by the O-H and N-H stretching vibrations (3200 cm-
1) as a result of carbohydrates and proteins while C-H stretching vibrations
(3000 cm-1) as a result of lipids and carbohydrates. Lipids membranes and cell
wall pectin absorbed around 1732 cm-1. Similarity analysis showed that the
AMHPs samples were similar irrespective of their locations. Results from the
soil analysis shows that soil properties from the four locations are similar and
therefore confirms the results obtained from the two spectroscopic techniques
