Skip to content
Research Article Open access CC BY 4.0

Screening for Minerals and Anti-minerals Composition of Gongronema latifolium (Utasi) Leaf

Usoro Etesin, Ibanga Isaac, Edidiong Ikpe, Ufikairom G. Isotuk, Asuquo Unyime Joseph

Asian Journal of Chemical Sciences · pp. 1–8 · Published 10 Oct 2018

10.9734/AJOCS/2018/43389

Abstract

Aims: The study was conducted to determine the biochemical composition and nutritional value of Gongronema latifolium leaf locally cultivated in Mkpat Enin, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Study Design: The study involved sampling, identification of the plant, sample preparation, analyses and results evaluation/comparison with existing data. This vegetable is consumed generally due to its nutritional and medicinal potentials. Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out in the Chemistry Laboratory of Akwa Ibom State University and Ministry of Science and Technology Laboratory, Uyo. The study was conducted for six months from July 2017 to January 2018. Methodology: Proximate analyses were done using standard analytical methods of the Association of Analytical Chemist (AOAC) 2000 edition. Micronutrients and trace metals were by spectroscopic, using atomic absorption spectrometer (ATI UNICAM, 939) Standard analytical methods. Of Association of Analytical Chemists (AOAC, 2000) were used for the determination of anti-oxidants: tannin, oxalate, cyanide and phytate. Results: The results of the analyses obtained for Moisture content, crude protein, crude fibre and carbohydrate were: 60.91± 2.09%, 22.07 ± 0.04%, 4.96 ± 0.11% and 2.33 ± 0.09% respectively. Among the micronutrients determined were potassium, 471 ± 12.08 mg/kg; zinc, 0.397 ± 0.07 mg/kg; sodium, 143.8± 8.13 mg/kg; calcium, 130±7.45 mg/kg; magnesium, 133± 5.02 mg/kg and iron, 1142 ± 14.21 mg/kg. The calorific value determined for the leaf was 129.3±10.04 J/ kg. The highest concentration of 471 ±12.08 mg/kg was obtained for potassium, and the lowest mineral content was 0.397± 0.07 mg/kg for zinc. The concentrations of anti-nutrients were generally low with phytate having the highest value of 8.24± mg/kg. Other toxicants had the following values, lead, 0.16±0.009 mg/kg; cadmium, 0.13±0.003 mg/kg; hydrogen cyanide, 0.173±0.043 mg/kg; oxalate, 0.88 ±0.056 mg/kg; tannins, 0.11± 0.005 mg/kg. The calorific value of the leaf was determined to be 129.3± 10.04 J/ kg. Conclusion: The results showed enhanced contents of micronutrients and protein in Utasi leaf, which are a health boost for consumers, mostly pregnant women and children. With the low levels of anti-nutrients and toxicants in Gongronema latifolium leaf, it is a potential source of food supplements and an immune booster in diets.

Anti-nutrients Gongronema latifolium leaf green leafy vegetable medicinal plant

References (20)

  1. 1 Free radicals and antioxidants in normal physiological functions and human disease [DOI]
  2. 2 Medicinal plants and traditional medicine in Africa
  3. 3 Health benefits of fruit and vegetables are from additive and synergistic combinations of phytochemicals [DOI]
  4. 4 Phytochemical Studies And Comparative Efficacy Of The Crude Extracts Of Some Haemostatic Plants In Edo And Delta States Of Nigeria [DOI]
  5. 5 A comparative evaluation of some blood sugar lowering agents of plant origin [DOI]
  6. 6 Minerals and antinutrients in fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis Hook f.) [DOI]
  7. 7 Nutrient and anti-nutrient components of some tropical leafy vegetables [DOI]
  8. 8 Antioxidant effects of Gongronema latifolium in hepatocytes of rat models of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus [DOI]
  9. 9 Calcium oxalate and physico-chemical properties of cocoyam (Colocasia esculenta and Xanthosoma sagittifolium) tuber flours as affected by processing [DOI]
  10. 10 Comparison of the nutritional value and biological activities of the acetone, methanol and water extracts of the leaves of Solanum nigrum and Leonotis leonorus [DOI]
  11. 11 Nutritional analysis of the edible pit of Sclerocarya birrea in the Republic of Niger (daniya, Hausa) [DOI]
  12. 12 Chemical composition and nutritive value of leaves and stems of tropical weed Chromolaena odorata [DOI]
  13. 13 Mineral content of culinary and medicinal plants cultivated by Hmong refugees living in Sacramento, California [DOI]
  14. 14 Effects of Anesthetic Agents on Brain Blood Oxygenation Level Revealed with Ultra-High Field MRI [DOI]
  15. 15 The Nutritive Value of Some Plants Browsed by Cattle in Umudike, Southeastern Nigeria [DOI]
  16. 16 The Effect of Gongronema latifolium Leaf Extract on Blood Biochemical Assay in Diabetic Rats [DOI]
  17. 17 Studies on the chemical and antinutritional content of some Nigerian spices [DOI]
  18. 18 Gongronema latifolium Crude Leaf Extract Reverses Alterations in Haematological Indices and Weight-loss in Diabetic Rats [DOI]
  19. 19 Cardiovascular disease and nutritional phenolics [DOI]
  20. 20 A review on Gongronema latifolium (Utasi): A novel antibiotic against Staphylococcus aureus related infections

Cited by 3

Ethnobotanical study, phytochemical composition and in vitro antioxidant activity of the methanol extracts of thirty-two medicinal plants from Southern Nigeria

O. Isaac Ibanga, M. Etesin Usoro, J. N. Elijah · Journal of Medicinal Plants Research · 2022

Nutritional and medicinal values of common green leafy vegetables consumed in Delta State, Nigeria: a review

T. Dada, Kekere Otitoloju, Randy Adjonu · 2021

Showing 2 of 3 known citations — external sources report more than can currently be individually listed.

Related research

Article metrics

Real usage data collected on this platform.

26

Page views

0

PDF downloads

3

Outbound clicks

3

Citations

Views over time

Views by country

Approximate, from request IP at view time — not citizenship or institution. Countries with fewer than 5 views are grouped as "Other".

Traffic sources

Referring site, by host.

Views and downloads exclude known bots/crawlers. Citations combines this platform's own DOI-resolved index with each external source's own reported total — see Cited by above for individually listed citing works. Last refreshed 0 seconds ago.