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Analyses of the Leaf, Fruit and Seed of Thaumatococcus daniellii (Benth.): Exploring Potential Uses |
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Shalom Nwodo Chinedu,
Adetayo Y. Oluwadamisi,
Samuel T. Popoola,
Bolaji J. David and Tamunotonyesia Epelle |
Abstract:
Thaumatococcus daniellii is an economic plant with versatile uses in Southern Nigeria. The arils attached to the seeds contain thaumatin, a non-sugar sweetener and taste modifier. This study examined the chemical constituents of the leaf, fruit and seed of T. daniellii. The fresh fruit, on weight basis, consists of 4.8% aril, 22.8% seed and 72.4% fleshy part. The leaf contained (per 100 g): 10.67 g moisture, 8.95 g ash, 17.21 g fat, 21.06 g protein, 24.61 g crude fiber 17.50 g carbohydrate, 0.10 g calcium, 0.08 g magnesium, 0.01 g iron and 0.37 g phosphorus. The fruit (fleshy part) contained 10.04 g moisture, 21.08 g ash, 0.93 g fat, 11.53 g protein, 18.43 g crude fiber, 37.27 g carbohydrate, 0.34 g calcium, 0.30 g magnesium, 0.01 g iron and 0.21 g phosphorus. The seed contained 15.15 g moisture, 11.30 g ash, 0.21 g fat, 10.36 g protein, 20.52 g crude fiber and 42.46 g carbohydrate. Terpenoids, flavonoids, alkaloids and cardiac glycosoides were significantly present in both the leaf and fruit whereas phlobatanin, saponin, steroids, anthraquinones and ascorbic acid were absent. Tannin was present only in the leaf. The leaf and fruit of T. daniellii have significant nutritional and medicinal benefits. The leaf is rich in protein and fat. The fruit is a good source of minerals, particularly, calcium and magnesium; the leaf is also rich in phosphorus.
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How to cite this article:
Shalom Nwodo Chinedu, Adetayo Y. Oluwadamisi, Samuel T. Popoola, Bolaji J. David and Tamunotonyesia Epelle, 2014. Analyses of the Leaf, Fruit and Seed of Thaumatococcus daniellii (Benth.): Exploring Potential Uses. Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences, 17: 849-854.
DOI: 10.3923/pjbs.2014.849.854
URL: https://scialert.net/abstract/?doi=pjbs.2014.849.854
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