Cyanide Content of Parts of Pride of Barbados (Caesalpina pulcherima) Grown in Nigeria

Abstract

Cyanide contents of some parts of Pride of Barbados (Caesalpina pulcherima), grown in Nigeria, were studied. Analyses were conducted on intact seed, extra –cotyledonous deposit, cotyledon, flower, pod (with seeds removed), apical and pre-apical leaves and stalks, basal and apical stems, root and testa of Pride of Barbados. Alkaline picrate method was used in cyanide determination. Results obtained showed that mean cyanide contents of parts of Pride of Barbados were in the following ranges: 0.6 – 3.3; 0.4 – 3.1; 0.4 – 4.0 and 0.8 – 4.1mgkg-1 dry weight for samples from west (Ekpoma), east (Enugu), south (Port Harcourt) and north (Jos) of Nigeria respectively. The amount of cyanide determined in the edible extra-cotyledonous deposit of this legume was minimal and equally very low in all other parts studied (p>0.05). Pride of Barbados is presumably among the legumes with the lowest cyanide content.

Keywords: Cyanide content, Pride of Barbados.

Journal of Medical Laboratory Science Vol. 13 (2) 2004: pp. 29-32