Comparative study on the proximate analysis and nutritional composition of <i>Musanga cercropioides</i> and <i>Maesobotyra barteri</i> leaves

Abstract

This study investigated the proximate, mineral, vitamins and amino acid compositions of Musanga cercropioides and Maesobotrya barteri leaves. Proximate analysis was done according to the AOAC methods; Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) was used to determine the mineral content, while High Performance Liquid Chromatography and Gas Chromatography were used to determine the vitamins and amino acids contents respectively. The proximate composition of the dried leaf of M. cercropioides was; moisture (60.58 ± 0.43 %), crude protein (6.58 ± 0.4%), crude fibre (8.85 ± 0.05%), crude fat (7.0 ±1.0%), ash (4.75 ± 0.25%) and carbohydrate (12.26 ± 0.12%). On the other hand, that of M. barteri was; moisture (50.53 ± 0.08%), crude protein (9.63 ±0.88%), crude fibre (2.9 ± 0.3%), crude fat (14.0 ± 0.3%) ash (8.5 ± 0.5%) and carbohydrate (14.44 ± 1.6%). Elemental analyses showed that M. cercropioides had significantly higher (p<0.05) levels of the elements (Fe, Mn, Zn, P, Na, K, Ca, Mg, Cr) when compared to M. barteri. The leaf of M. cercropioides was significantly higher in vitamins A, E, B1, B2, B3, B6 and B12 (p<0.05) when compared to that of M. barteri. However, M. barteri leaf had higher vitamin C content than M. cercropioides. The amino acid analysis revealed that. M. cercropioides had significantly higher levels of leucine, methionine, threonine and serine (p < 0.05). M. barteri, on the other hand, was higher in histidine, lysine, alanine, phenylalanine and valine. This study suggests that these two plants can serve as a good source of nutraceutical.

Keywords: Musanga cercropioides; Maesobotrya barteri; proximate analysis, minerals, vitamins, amino acid