Assessment of the nutritive value of <i>Phyllanthus niruri Linn.</i> (stonebreaker) leaves

Abstract

The leaves of Phyllanthus niruri was evaluated for the proximate, minerals, vitamins and phytochemical composition. Phyllanthus niruri leaves were harvested, air-dried at room temperature for 4 days and milled to form Phyllanthus niruri leaf meal. Atomic absorption spectrometry was used in determination of the leaves for macro (Sodium Na, Calcium Ca, Phosphorus P, Potassium K, Magnesium Mg) and micro (Iron Fe, Zinc Zn, Manganese Mn, Copper Cu) minerals; and phytochemicals (total phenolics, tannin, alkaloid, saponin, phytate, oxalate, flavonoid) were also determined using appropriate techniques. Proximate analysis indicated that the leaves had high concentration of dry matter (91.06%), crude fibre (16.90%), crude protein (14.74 %), ether extract (7.55%), ash (7.33%), neutral detergent fibre (43.81%), acid detergent fibre (25.49%), metabolizable energy (7.74MJ/Kg) and in vitro organic matter digestibility (57.40%). Mineral and vitamin analysis  showed that Phyllanthus niruri leaves contained macro minerals (ppm) such as Na (1947), Ca (2911), P (6978), K (18252), Mg (2914), micro minerals (ppm) such as Mn (94), Fe (665), Cu (12), Zn (37) and high content of vitamins A (812.78 µg/100g), D (34.79 µg/100g) and E (57.18 mg/100g) respectively. Phytochemical evaluation revealed that Phyllanthus niruri leaf have high contents of total phenolic (11.85mgGAE/100g), oxalate (22.69mg/g), phytate (5.40g/100g), moderate in alkaloid (3.67g/100g), but low in tannin (0.001g/100g), saponin (0.20g/100g), and flavonoid (1.40g/100g). The results showed that Phyllanthus niruri leaves are of high nutritional quality due to high crude protein, vitamin A, mineral contents especially potassium with the resultant phyto-chemicals attributes that could serve as feed additives in poultry production.