Abstract
Background: With increasing concern over food insecurity, there is the need to incorporate wild edible plants in our meals as they can provide adequate level of nutrition when consumed as food. Aim: The objective of this study was to evaluate the proximate composition, elemental composition, total phenolic content, total flavonoid content and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) profile of Lantana trifolia . Setting: This study was carried out in Juja, Kenya where the samples were collected, prepared and stored at the Department of Chemistry, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. Methods: The proximate and elemental compositions of the leaves, stalk and root samples were evaluated by using standard procedures, whilst the total phenolic and flavonoid contents were evaluated by using Folin–Ciocalteu and aluminium chloride method. The secondary metabolites present in the crude methanolic extracts of the whole plant were determined by using GC-MS. Results: The proximate and elemental analyses of the plant revealed that L. trifolia can be a good source of essential elements, proteins, crude fibre and carbohydrates. The protein, fat, crude fibre and carbohydrate contents in the leaves were found to be higher compared with the stalks and roots, whilst the ash and moisture contents were found to be higher in the roots. The concentrations of calcium, iron, magnesium and zinc in the leaves were found to be 8860.75 ± 565.27, 11 003.10 ± 143.24, 1520.25 ± 26.85 and 39.66 ± 15.68 mg/kg, respectively, compared with the roots and stalks, which were lower. Conclusion: The concentration of total phenolic and total flavonoid compounds and GC-MS profile of the methanolic extracts revealed that L. trifolia can be a good source of secondary metabolites, some of which have reported to be free radical scavengers. Hence, L. trifolia can not only be used as a source of important secondary metabolites, but its nutritional content suggests that the plant can be used to combat nutrient deficiency amongst many communities who lack adequate resources, because it thrives in the wild.
Highlights
Wild medicinal plants have traditionally been used for their medicinal and nutriment values
Dietary polyphenols have been reported to inhibit arachidonic acid peroxidation and they possess cyclooxygenase (COX-2) inhibitory or stimulatory effects (Shaikh, Pund & Gacche 2016). Secondary metabolites such as phenolic compounds have been reported as promising tools in eliminating the causes and effects of skin ageing, skin diseases and skin damage, including wounds and burns, because they are of plant origin and have low toxicity (Dzialo et al 2016; Scheller et al 2011; Wang et al 2014a; Witte & Barbul 2002)
Proximate composition is the term usually used in the field of feed/food to mean the components of moisture, crude protein, ether extract, crude fibre, crude ash and nitrogenfree extracts expressed as the content (%) in the sample
Summary
Wild medicinal plants have traditionally been used for their medicinal and nutriment values. Dietary polyphenols have been reported to inhibit arachidonic acid peroxidation and they possess cyclooxygenase (COX-2) inhibitory or stimulatory effects (Shaikh, Pund & Gacche 2016). Secondary metabolites such as phenolic compounds have been reported as promising tools in eliminating the causes and effects of skin ageing, skin diseases and skin damage, including wounds and burns, because they are of plant origin and have low toxicity (Dzialo et al 2016; Scheller et al 2011; Wang et al 2014a; Witte & Barbul 2002). With increasing concern over food insecurity, there is the need to incorporate wild edible plants in our meals as they can provide adequate level of nutrition when consumed as food
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