Phytochemical, Nutritional and Trace Element of Some <i>Solanum</i> (Garden Egg)

Abstract

Vegetables and fruits form some of the most important components of daily nutrition owing to their high mineral and vitamin contents which are  essential for a balanced diet. This research work was carried out on the phytochemicals, proximate and trace element content of three varieties of garden  egg which are Solanum melongena (S. melongena), Solanum aethiopicum (S. aethiopicum) and Solanum macrocarpon (S. macrocarpon). The egg  plants were extracted and their phytochemical, proximate and trace element content carried out using standard procedures. The result showed that  carbohydrates, flavonoids, terpenoids, steroids, anthraquinones, phenols, tannins and proteins were present in the three varieties of the eggplant.  Saponin was only observed in S. aethiopicum but not in the other two varieties, while alkaloids were observed to be present in only S. macrocarpon.  Cardiac glycosides, anthocyanin and phlobatanins were completely absent in the three varieties. The proximate composition showed that S. melongena  contained percentage moisture content (52.23%), ash (23.10%), fibre (3.16%), fat (6.02%), protein (2.38%), carbohydrate (12.05%) while S. aethiopicum  contained percentage moisture (59.05%), ash (17.49%), fibre (1.69%), fat (8.05%), protein (2.49%), carbohydrate (11.84%) and S. macrocarpon contained  percentage moisture (57.68%), ash (22.71%), fibre (2.05%), fat (5.04%), protein (2.56%) and carbohydrate (10.40%). The trace element content for S.  melongena showed magnesium (279.57), calcium (106.80), zinc (4.77), copper (0.88), iron (57.45), manganese (5.53) in parts per million (ppm) while S.  aethiopicum contained Mg (258.16), Ca (76.29), Zn (5.55), Cu (1.18), Fe (49.49), Mn (5.43) in (ppm) and S. macrocarpon contained Mg (280.5), Ca (84.95), Zn  (3.98), Cu (0.29), Fe (41.49) and Mn (3.44) in (ppm). The findings showed that the three eggplant varieties will serve as a good nutritional diet while S.  melongena will supply more trace elements (Fe, Ca, and Mn) and total ash, fibre and carbohydrates. S. aethiopicum has alkaloids and more terpenoids and  steroids and hence, will serve as a good medicinal component.