Evaluation of nutritional, phytochemical and antioxidant activity of aqueous ethanol leaf extract of Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Delile
Purpose: Balanites aegyptiaca have been used in Northern-Nigeria for nutritional and medicinal purposes. Malnutrition due to food insufficiency and poverty are major burden of the third world countries. The research was aimed at evaluating the nutritional value of B. aegyptiaca leaves and to determine the phytochemical and antioxidant activity of the aqueous ethanol leaf extract.
Principal methodologies: The air-dried powder leaf was subjected to proximate analyses using standard methods. The leaf powder was analyzed for its mineral elements and heavy metal contents using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS) and Flame Photometry (FP). The leaf was extracted by maceration using 70% ethanol for the phytochemical and antioxidant studies. The extract was screened for its phytochemical constituents both qualitatively and quantitatively. The antioxidant activity of the extract was determined using DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl) and ascorbic acid was used as standard.
Key findings: The proximate analyses of the leaves revealed crude fat (0.99%), crude fiber (7.80%), crude protein (14.25%) and nitrogen free extract (62.4%). The mineral element analyses revealed phosphorous (1524.60 mg/kg), nitrogen (4.20%), calcium (2126.10 mg/kg), potassium (11270.30 mg/kg), manganese (0.08%), copper (0.01%), selenium (0.02%), organic carbon (51.59%) and organic matter (88.94%). The heavy metal content revealed lead (0.01%) and cadmium (0.03%). The percentage yield of the aqueous ethanol extract was 41.02 %. The qualitative and quantitative phytochemical analyses revealed saponin (7%), tannins (1.35%), flavonoids (14%), steroids (3.15%), cardiac glycosides (0.75%). The total phenolic and total flavonoid contents were 24.92 mg GAE/g and 12.70 mg CTE/g respectively. The extract and the ascorbic acid scavenged the DPPH free radical with IC50 of 368.1 µg/mL and 46.10 µg/mL respectively.
Conclusion: The outcome of the research revealed that B. aegyptiaca leaf is a source of nutrients and phytochemicals with antioxidant property. The results have provided scientific basis for the use of the plant in traditional medicine for treatment of diseases associated with free radicals in the human body.
Keywords: Antioxidant, Balanites aegyptiaca, DPPH, malnutrition, nutritional, phytochemical
*Correspondence: emshelia2002@gmail.com, +2348069221840
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