Nutritional composition, Phytochemical analysis and Antioxidant capacity of Ethanol extract of Picralima nitida fruit (bark and pulp)

Abstract

Picralima nitida (Apocynaceae) is an African pepper tree known for its medicinal benefits. This paper aims to investigate the nutritional composition, phytochemical analysis, and Antioxidant capacity of Ethanol extract of Picralima nitida fruit (bark and pulp) using standard methods. The proximate analysis of the dried powdered fruit (bark and pulp) had high carbohydrate, crude fiber content, moderate ash content, low moisture content, and low crude fat composition. The metal composition analysis showed the presence of various essential and non-essential elements, with sodium, potassium, and iron having the highest concentrations. The qualitative phytochemical screening showed the presence of saponins, alkaloids, tannins, terpenoids, phenols, flavonoids, glycosides, steroids, and phytosterols in varying concentrations in the ethanol extract. The quantitative phytochemical analysis revealed that the total phenol, total flavonoid, total tannins, proanthocyanidin, and total saponin contents had concentrations of 92.45 mg GAE/g extract, 331.64 mg QE/g extract, 64.89 mg TAE/g extract, 129.00 mg AAE/g extract, and 213.79 mg DE/g extract respectively. The ethanol extract of P. nitida fruits exhibited strong antioxidant activities, with the FRAP assay showing the highest activity, followed by DPPH radical scavenging activities. These findings suggest that P. nitida stem bark has significant potential as a natural source of antioxidants and essential minerals, which could be useful in developing functional foods and nutraceuticals.