Potency of Ginger (Zingiber officinale) in Commonly Consumed Beverages. The Phytochemical and Antioxidant Approach in a Nasarawa State, Nigeria Environment

Abstract

Zingiber officinale is a well known and widely used herb, which contains several interesting bioactive constituents and possesses health promoting properties. The phyotochemical screening and proximate composition of Zingiber officinale were investigated. The rhizomes of ginger were collected, treated and chopped into tiny pieces. These were dried at room temperature for 14 days and milled into fine powder using a mortar and pestle. The resulting powdered sample was subjected to phytochemical tests. The results of the phytochemical screening shows that saponins was absent in ethanol extract, present in petroleum ether extract and absent in aqueous extract, flavonoids was present at higher level in ethanol extract, moderately present in petroleum ether extract but absent in aqueous extract, tannins was present in all extracts, cardiac glycoside was present in both ethanol and petroleum extracts but absent in aqueous extract, Phlobatannins was present in all extracts, anthraquinone was highly present in ethanol extract but present in both petroleum ether and aqueous extracts however, carbohydrates, reducing sugars and combined reducing sugars were present in all extracts. Similarly, proximate analysis results obtained in percentage were average moisture content: 46.98%, ash content: 13.64%, protein content: 13.7%, fat content: 3.5% and crude fiber content: 75% values of the rhizomes. The results indicated that ginger rhizome is an excellent natural remedy for a wide range of ailments. DOI: 10.7176/JEES/12-3-03 Publication date: March 31 st 2022