Year: 2020
Type: article
Abstract: The use of plants and their products for different purposes has been with man from the beginning.Aside food, plants are often used as medicine, an example of such plant is Ageratum conyzoides.This study was undertaken to evaluate the nutritional composition and antioxidant potency of Ageratum conyzoides whole plant.Ageratum conyzoides whole plant contained in percent, moisture (5.52±0.035),ash (10.47±0.058),crude protein (24.53±0.104),crude lipid (3.78±0.069),crude-fibre (18.89±0.023)and carbohydrate (36.81±0.006).Mineral analysis of the whole plant (in mg/l00g) revealed that the plant contained: Sodium (88.50±0.346),Potassium (139.10±0.006),Calcium (220.60±0.173),Magnesium (110.13±0.115),Iron (22.73±0.289),Zinc (43.50±0.173)and Phosphorus (380.13±0.173).The result of proximate analyses showed that the whole plant is a good source of plant protein, minerals, crude fibre, and carbohydrate.If consumed in sufficient amount, it may contribute to mineral requirements for good health in human body.The qualitative screening for free radical scavenging compounds using 1,1-Diphenyl-2-PicrylHydrazyl (DPPH) was carried out on TLC.The result showed greater activity in the n-hexane and ethanol extracts.In vitro quantitative determination of free radical scavenging activity using DPPH at 25, 50, 100, 200 and 400 μg/mL showed n-hexane extract with the highest activity (IC 50 of 45.34 μg/mL).The results of nutritional analyses showed that the whole plant is a good source of plant protein, minerals, crude fibre, carbohydrate and calories.If consumed in sufficient amount, it will contribute to nutritional requirements for good health in humans.Also the results obtained for antioxidant potentials have provided preliminary evidence for the use of Ageratum conyzoides in traditional medicine for the treatment of oxidative stress and free radicals.
Institution: Kogi State University
Language: English
Subfield: Food Science
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W3084397697