PROXIMATE, PHYTOCHEMICAL AND VITAMIN COMPOSITIONS OF PROSOPIS AFICANA STEM BARK

Abstract

The use of plants or natural products have recently gained global interest due to the increasing awareness on the dangers of synthetic drugs and chemicals in terms of its adverse affect and anticipated toxicity, plants have played vital roles in bridging the gap between food safety and livestock production; they are cheap, effective and safe due to the presence of phytochemicals or bioactive chemicals, therefore this study was carried out to examine the proximate, phytochemical and vitamin compositions of Prosopis aficana stem bark (PAD). Proximate analysis revealed the presence of moisture (8.35 %), dry matter (91.65 %), crude protein (4.87 %), crude fibre (45.60 %), ether extract (0.81 %), ash (11.52 %) and carbohydrates (28.85 %). Phytochemical screening of PAD showed that it contained hydrolysable tannins, condensed tannins, alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, saponins, phenols, phytic acid and oxalates at 3.33 %, 0.17 %, 5.45 %, 9.83 %, 2.10 %, 1.82 %, 4.02 %, 0.78 % and 0.85 % respectively. PAD contained ?-carotene (1.51 mg/100g), vitamin B1 (0.33 mg/100g), vitamin B2 (0.94 mg/100g), vitamin B3 (0.42 mg/100g), vitamin B6 (0.20 mg/100g), vitamin B9 (0.18 mg/100g), vitamin B12 (0.88 mg/100g), vitamin C (4.22 mg/100g), vitamin D (0.12 mg/100g) and vitamin K (0.21 mg/100g). It was concluded that PAD is loaded with nutrients and phytochemicals which confers them the ability to perform multiple biological activities and are also precursors for the synthesis of useful drugs.