Comparative Analysis of Minerals and Vitamins in Cajanus cajan and Chromolaena odorata Leaves

Abstract

Minerals and Vitamins are key bioactive compounds found in medicinal plants that contribute to their therapeutic action in the treatment of diseases. They are essential for maintaining health, supporting immune function, and preventing oxidative stress. The study aims to compare the mineral and vitamin content of Cajanus cajan (pigeon pea) leaves and Chromolaena odorata (Siam weed) leaves, both known for their diverse medicinal properties. The mineral content was analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS) after acid digestion of the samples, while Vitamins were estimated using spectrophotometric methods. The results revealed that C. cajan leaves were richer in sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, selenium, copper, and manganese, whereas C. odorata leaves had higher iron, nickel, and cobalt content. Specifically, C. cajan had significantly (p<0.05) higher concentrations of sodium and potassium compared to C. odorata leaves. C. odorata leaves presented higher values of vitamins A, C, D, E, B1, B2, B6, and B12. Vitamin A content was very high in C. odorata compared to that of C. cajan leaves. The findings of the comparative analysis indicate that C. cajan leaves are richer in essential minerals, while C. odorata leaves contain significantly higher levels of vitamins. These findings would bring about potential implications for complementary use in nutraceutical and medicinal formulations to ensure maximum mineral and vitamin dietary intake from both plants. The higher vitamin content in C. odorata suggests its superior efficacy in improving antioxidant activity and various physiological functions.