Evaluation of Proximate Composition, Phytochemicals and Selected Mineral Elements Content of Methanol Extract of <i>Acmella radicans</i> (Jacquin) Leaves

Abstract

There is recently, a growing consumption of Acmella radicans (white spot flower) as food among many communities in northwestern Nigeria, a development which poses the need to
evaluate its nutritive and therapeutic properties. This study, therefore, evaluated the proximate composition, phytochemicals and selected mineral elements contents of methanol extracts of leaves of A. radicans plant. The leaves were collected, dried, and extracted using methanol. The resulting extract was subjected to standard procedures for the analyses. The findings indicated that the extract of A. radicans had Ash, carbohydrate, crude protein, crude fibre, lipid and moisture contents of 10.28 ± 0.003%, 72.90 ± 0.042%, 3.42 ± 0.013%, 1.32 ±0.003%, 6.99 ± 0.006% and 9.40 ± 0.039%, respectively. The qualitative phytochemicals analysis showed that the extract contain alkaloids, flavonoids, steroids, glycosides, cardiac glycosides, tannins, saponins, saponin glycosides, balsam and volatile oils. Anthraquinones were not detected. Quantitative phytoche-mical analysis of the extract revealed the concentrations (in g%) of alkaloids, cardiac glycosides, flavonoids, saponins and tannins as 6.44 ± 0.36, 0.46 ± 0.04, 24.56 ± 0.03, 0.42 ± 0.06 and 0.35 ± 0.20, respectively. The results also revealed the presence of mineral elements, such as sodium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium, as 0.002 ±0.003, 0.053 ±0.009, 1280±2.887, 3.94 ± 0.015 and 360± 2.880, respectively. These results suggest that the leaves of A. radicans are rich source of macronutrients, bioactive compounds and mineral elements, and could be used as a potential dietary supplement to address protein-energy deficiencies, as well as for
nutraceutical and pharmacological applications.