Nutritional Evaluation of Brillantaisia patula Leaves

Aim: To determine the nutritional and anti-nutritional compositions of Brillantaisia patula leaves using standard analytical methods.

Place and Duration of Study: The proximate, mineral and anti-nutritional compositions were determined in the chemistry laboratory of Ekiti State University, Ado – Ekiti while the amino acid was determined at the Analytical Laboratory of Multi-Environmental Management Consultant, Lagos, Nigeria.

Methodology: The proximate composition was carried out using the methods of Association of Official Chemists (AOAC) while mineral and anti-nutritional compositions were determined using standard analytical methods. Amino acid analysis was carried out through ion exchange chromatography (IEC) using the Technicon Sequential Multisample (TSM) Amino Acid Analyser.

Results: The proximate composition ranged from 3.18% (crude fat) to 38.6% (carbohydrate). The major mineral constituents of the sample were: P (1061 mg/100g), K (874 mg/100g), Ca (799 mg/100g), Na (82.6 mg/100g) and Mg (24.3 mg/100g) while the minor mineral constituents were: Fe (26.9 mg/100g), Zn (7.7 mg/100g) and Mn (6.05 mg/100g). The evaluated anti-nutritional contents were: 6.71 mg/g oxalate, 5.37 % saponin, 1.0 mg/100g tannin and 4.72 mg/kg cyanide. Additional results showed that the leaves contained eighteen amino acids with values ranging from 0.504 g/100g cp (tryptophan) to 14.0 g/100g cp (glutamic acid). The value of the total essential amino acids (TEAA) with histidine was 45.6g/100g cp while the total non-essential amino acid (TNEAA) was evaluated to be 46.5 g/100g cp.

Conclusion: Brillantaisia patula leaves could be utilized as a good source of essential amino acids and important mineral elements.