NUTRITIONAL POTENTIALS AND ACUTE-TOXICITY STUDIES OF Securidaca longepedunculata (Fresen) POLYGALACEAE LEAVES

Abstract

Abstract Plants have served as therapeutic agents for a long time and provided essential nutrients like carbohydrates, protein, fat, etc. The leaves of Securidacalongepedunculata were analyzed for proximate minerals, antinutritional content, and acute toxicity study using standard methods. The results showed that the leaves contain moisture (10.38±0.43%), ash (6.21±0.23%), crude protein (5.85±0.29%), crude lipid (3.96±0.12%), crude fiber (3.00±0.18%), non-fiber carbohydrate (80.98±0.51%), and energy value (377.11±1.82 kJ/100g). The antinutritional content of the leaves in (mg/100g) was found to have oxalate (0.0214±0.0001), phytate (4.0406±0.0241), nitrite (2.6733±0.0757), cyanide (0.0285±0.0061) and tannins (0.3507±0.0004). The leaves of this plant were analyzed and found to possess an appreciable amount of mineral contents, such as K, Na, Ca, Mg, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cr, Cd, and Pb. The results of acute oral administration of S. longepedunculata leaves extracts on mice showed that the LD50 of S. longepedunculata leaves extracts is greater than or equal to 5000 mg/kg body weight. Hence, it can be concluded that S.longepedunculata could be used for therapeutic purposes and as nutritional supplements.