Analysis of Amino and Fatty Acids Composition of Senna alata Seed

Abstract

Aim: To investigate the amino acids and fatty acids contents of Senna alata seed. Study Design: To Collect and analyze the seed sample of Senna alata from Osun State in South Western Nigeria. Place and Duration of Study: Seed samples of Senna alata were collected from Irepodun Local Government, Osun state, Nigeria at the start of the raining season in March, 2013. Methodology: The collected samples were identified at Taxonomy unit, Department of Biological Sciences, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, as Senna alata. The determination of the amino acid profile in the sample was determined using methods described in literature while the determination of the protein content was done using micro Kjeldahl method. The amino acid was analyzed using a Technicon Sequential Multi-Sample Amino Acid Analyzer (TSM). The fatty acids content was determined by converting the fatty acids to fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs), after which it was loaded to a gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometer for analysis. Results: The protein content of the seed was 12.75±0.05% while the amino acids content revealed glutamic acid and aspartic acid as predominant non essential amino acids while leucine as the most predominant essential amino acid. The sample also contains appreciable amounts of other essential amino acids. The fatty acid content of Senna alata seed oil revealed unsaturated fatty acid; linoleic acid as the major fatty acid (34.26%), followed by saturated fatty acid; palmitic acid (13.73%). The oil was having more unsaturated fatty acid (51.90%) than the saturated fatty acid (43.34%). Conclusion: Senna alata seed is a good source of valine, isoleucine, leucine, phenylalanine, tyrosine and threonine. The high amount of linoleic acid and palmitic acid also suggest the edibility of Senna alata seed oil.