Nutritional Value and Phytochemical Analysis of Fresh Leaves of Pterocarpus santaloinides:- Ugwuanyi Chinonye E

ABSTRACT

The chemical and elemental constituents of fresh leaves of Pterocarpus Q . , santalinoides were evaluated. The fresh green Pterocarpus Santalinoides leaves were handpicked to remove foreign particles and rinsed in de-ionized water to remove dust and dirt. Pterocarpus santalinoides leaves was washed, drained and shade dried at room temperature for seven days. After drying, the vegetables were pulverized into powder and labelled as shade dried. Proximate, phytochemicals, minerals and vitamins composition were determined according totheir respective standard methods. From the results it was seen that that flavonoids are 9 significantly (p<0.05) higher than other phytochemicals, which was followed by oxalates and then alkaloids. Tanins and phenols are non-significantly (p>0.05) different from each other when compared. The proximate composition was ' recorded with dry matter having the highest percentage which was followed by carbohydrate, crude protein and then moisture content. The result also shows that ash content and crude fibre are non-significantly (p>0.05) different from each other, while ether extract had the least percentage. The vitamin composition of the plant as seen in fig. 3 shows that vitamin C is significantly (p<0.05) higher than other vitamins. Vitamins A, B, and B» has no significant (p>0.05) difference when compared among each other while vitamin E has the least value and significantly (p<0.05) different from other vitamins, while the minerals result shows that shows that potassium is significantly (p<0.05) higher than other minerals, followed by calcium which is significantly (p<0.05) higher than magnesium, sodium and iron. Magnesium is also significantly (p<0.05) higher than sodium and iron while sodium is significantly (p<0.05) higher than iron. The results showed that fresh ~ leaves of Pterocarpus santalinoides contains varying concentrations of chemical, elemental and macronutrient components. As such, they can serve as good sources of useful elements. The leaves of Pterocarpus santalinoides could also have better anti-oxidant properties when compared to others and as such could be recommended for some evaluation of other biological properties in vitro and in vivo.