The Nutritive Potentials Of Cotton (<i>Gossypium barbadense</i>) Leaves

Abstract

Sample of cotton plants (Gossypium barbadense) leaves were analyzed for phytochemical contents, heavy metals, trace elements, proximate composition and toxic/ anti nutritional components. On screening of the leaf extract it was found to contain alkaloids such as quinoline, indole and morphine, but tropane was absent. Other findings in the leaf extract were tannins, phlobatinins, cardiac glycosides and flavonoids, but saponins and anthraquinones were absent. Result of the study also indicated that the leaf extract contained crude protein (7.10 ± 0.1%), moisture (73.2±0.3%), Ash (2.7 ± 0.01%) crude fibre (2.6 ± 0.01 %), fat (0.9 ± 0.02%), carbohydrate (13.5±0.02%). The antinutritional components include in mg/100g, tannic acid (60.2 ± 1.05), phytate (19.88 ±0.02) oxalate (6.69 ± 0.02), trypsin inhibitor (39.14 ± 1.9). Also heavy metals and trace elements measured in ppm include pb (0.77 ± 0.2) cd (0.45 ±0.02), Hg (0.30 ± 0.01), As (0.21 ± 0.11) Se (0.056 ± 0.04), Ni (0.92 ±0.02), Cr (8.1±0.4) Mn (1.1 ± 0.03), Zn (1.6± 0.01), Cu (14.6 ± 0.3). (Mean ± Sd). There are no significant differences in the values obtained in this work at (p>0.05) when compared with some standard values.

Key words: Anti-nutrients, Cotton leaves, heavy metals, trace elements, proximate composition, phytochemical content

Nigerian Food Journal Vol.22 2004: 160-163