PROXIMATE, MINERAL, ANTI-NUTRIENTS, PHYTO-CHEMICAL SCREENING AND AMINO ACID COMPOSITIONS OF THE LEAVES OF PTEROCARPUS MILDBRAEDI HARMS

Leaves of P. mildbraedii Harms (Osun Ure) was anaysed for proximate constituents and mineral compositions. It contained 20.63 ± 0.03% ash, 13.33 ± 0.01% moisture, 26.45 ± 0.03% crude protein, 8.66 ± 0.01% fat, 12.33 ± 0.02% crude fibre and 18.61 ± 0.44% carbohydrate. Minerals like Ca, Na, Mg, Zn, K and P are predominantly abundant while Fe and Mn are present in less appreciable amount. The phytochemical screening of the leave sample for anti-nutrients indicates the presence of 0.47 ± 0.47% tannic acid, 0.23 ± 0.00% polyphenol, 5.49 ± 0.02% saponin, 4.65 ± 0.02% alkaloids, 3.66 ± 0.01% flavonoids, 3.33 ± 0.09mg/g oxalate, 6.38 ± 0.58mg/g phytin phosphorus and 22.65 ± 2.06 mg/g phytic acid. These bioactive compounds were identified to be accountable for the therapeutic properties of P. mildbraedii. The total amino acid content (TAA) of the sample was calculated to be 674.4mg/g crude protein. Glutamic acid (103.8mg/g crude protein) was the most abundant amino acid while cystine (8.00mg/g crude protein) was the least. Lysine (81.00mg/g crude protein) was the most abundant essential amino acid (EAA). The iso-electric point for the sample was calculated to be 3.60. The predicted protein efficiency ratio (P-PER) was estimated to be 2.92.