Nutritional Evaluation of Ceropegia Bulbosa Tubers from Different Regions of Rajasthan

Rathore and Sharma Ind. J. Pure App. Biosci. (2021) 9(1), 527-530 ISSN: 2582 – 2845 Available online at www.ijpab.com

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18782/2582-2845.8612 ISSN: 2582 – 2845 Ind. J. Pure App. Biosci. (2021) 9(1), 527-530

Research Article

Peer-Reviewed, Refereed, Open Access Journal

Nutritional Evaluation of Ceropegia bulbosa Tubers from Different Regions of Rajasthan

Mala Rathore* and Hemant K. Sharma Arid Forest Research Institute PO-Krishi Mandi, Pali Road, Jodhpur-342005 (Rajasthan), India *Corresponding Author E-mail: [email protected] Received: 9.01.2021 | Revised: 13.02.2021 | Accepted: 19.02.2021

ABSTRACT Ceropegia bulbosa is of economic importance due to its highly medicinal edible tubers. The root tubers are eaten raw or cooked and have tonic & digestive properties. Nutritional evaluation of Ceropegia bulbosa tubers was carried out in order to evaluate their use as food supplement. Moisture, ash, sugar, fat, fibre contents were determined using standard procedures. These were found to contain sugar (7.53-18.8 %), protein (6.3-8.74%) and vitamin C (27-45.1 mg/100g). Crude fat content was found to vary from 1.3-1.5 %. Determination of mineral content showed that they were rich source of minerals Mineral contents and nutritional values of the plants were found higher than conventional vegetable crops. Though most of the Ceropegias are threatened today owing to destructive collection or habitat degradation but through proper cultivation techniques their population can be increased and their incorporation into the diet through value added products can help to explore the uses of this priceless nature’s gift.

Keywords: Nutritional, Tubers, Elements, Proximate , Supplement, Dietary.

INTRODUCTION in Rajasthan and reported to occur sparsely in Ceropegia bulbosa Roxb. (family– Sikar, Udaipur, Jalore, Kota districts. It has Asclepiadaceae), is a slender, small, perennial, variable, elliptic-oblong to, acute or, base climber or twining tuberous herb with very rounded leaves. The flowering and fruiting wide distribution. Ceropegia is a genus of time of Ceropegia bulbosa is reported between climbers, herbs, rarely sub shrubs and consists July to October (Bhandari, 1990). Flowers are of about 200 species distributed in the tropical hermaphrodite, green, inpedunculate cymes, and subtropical Asia, Africa, Australia, umbellate cymes, narrow and slightly funnel Malaysia and Canary and Pacific islands shaped. Follicles are cylindric, tapering (Anonymous, 1992; & Bruyns, 2003). In India towards apex. Seeds are flattened and ovate it is found in Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, oblong. The tuber is spherical or oblong, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh. It is turnip like with roots at its base. popularly known as Hedulo, Khedula, Tedula

Cite this article: Rathore, M., & Sharma, H. K. (2021). Nutritional Evaluation of Ceropegia bulbosa Tubers from Different Regions of Rajasthan, Ind. J. Pure App. Biosci. 9(1), 527-530. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18782/2582-2845.8612

Rathore and Sharma Ind. J. Pure App. Biosci. (2021) 9(1), 527-530 ISSN: 2582 – 2845 As many as 48 spp. of Ceropegia are found in (Pali), Udaipur and Jaswantpura (Jalore) for India however most of these are threatened collection of Ceropegia tubers for three owing to destructive collection or habitat consecutive years 2012-2014. Sites were degradation (Nayar & Sastry, 1987; Walter & selected by gathering information from local Gillet, 1998; & Dhir & Shekhawat, 2014). people, Forest Department and Universities. They are therefore scarcely available in wild. Collected tubers were washed with water to Ceropegia bulbosa is commonly distributed remove dirt and foreign materials and then cut throughout the country (Botanical Survey of into thin slices and dried in shade. Finally India, 2002). these were ground and stored in neatly labelled Ceropegia species are economically important due to their starchy edible tubers. air tight bags. The tuberous roots of Ceropegia bulbosa Nutritional Analysis species are edible and also have medicinal All the chemicals used in the study were of properties (Arora & Meena, 2018a, 2018b). analytical grade and procured from Merck. Tubers are a rich source of carbohydrates and Standards were procured from SIGMA. All the eaten either raw or cooked (Nikam, 2007). The values are mean of three readings. tubers are also used as a thirst quencher. Proximate analysis Leaves are also edible and possess tonic and Moisture, fat, crude protein, total sugar (TSS), digestive properties. The root tubers are ash and dietary fibre (TDF), were determined known to contain an alkaloid `Ceropegin’ using standard methods (AOAC, 1984). (Nadkarni, 1976). Bitterness of the tubers can Moisture was determined by oven drying be removed by boiling (Mabberley, 1987). The method. Ash content was determined by alkaloid has medicinal value and is used to incineration of the sample in a muffle furnace cure cold, sneezing and eye diseases. C. bulbosa seeds are brayed to a paste and at 600ºC for 6 h. Total Dietary fibre was dropped into the ears to cure deafness. determined by assay kit (SIGMA). It is a Decoction of the tubers is used to remove combination of enzymatic and gravimetric urinary bladder stones (Swarnkar & Katewa, methods. Samples were gelatinized with heat 2008; & Khan & Pradhan, 2012). The whole stable α-amylase and then enzymatically plant extract is used as an antidote for snake digested with protease and amylo glucosidase bite (Anonymous, 1980). to remove the protein and starch present in the Indigenous people use various wild sample. Ethanol is added to precipitate the plants for their food, medicines, and other soluble dietary fibre. Total sugar content was economic products. Many of these wild plants estimated by phenol-sulphuric acid method. have been documented for their utilization as Total nitrogen was estimated by the Kjeldahl future foods and medicines based on these method. Crude protein was calculated by people's information. However, information multiplying the value by 6.25. Fat was about the nutrient components of many wild determined by petroleum ether extraction in a edible plants has yet to be scientifically tested. There are only very few reports evaluating Soxhlet apparatus. nutritional composition of Cerpegia bulbosa. Vitamin C was determined by Indophenol Complete analysis of is lacking. Therefore, Method (AOAC, 1984). this study evaluated its nutrient components Mineral Analysis with an aim to explore its potential as an Mineral elements (Cu, Zn, Fe, Mn, Mg) were alternative food. This information may serve determined by wet digestion methods using as a basis for conservation for its increased Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS, consumption and utilization. Perkin Elmer). An acid digestion procedure was used for sample preparation. A weighed MATERIALS AND METHODS amount of plant material were placed in a Collection & processing of material digestion tube (Kjeldahl flasks) and a mixture Reconaissance survey was carried out in three of HNO3 and 70% HClO4 was added to each different Districts of Rajasthan viz. Beda sample. Mixture was heated slowly at a low Copyright © Jan.-Feb., 2021; IJPAB 528

Rathore and Sharma Ind. J. Pure App. Biosci. (2021) 9(1), 527-530 ISSN: 2582 – 2845 temperature. After digestion, the samples were Vegetative Characteristics diluted to appropriate volume and the Ceropegia was found to have more or less concentration of the elements was determined. flattened tubers with an approximate diameter Standards for each element were prepared by of 30 to 50 mm. The flowering and fruiting suitable dilution of the stock standard time of Ceropegia bulbosa was found from solutions. K, Ca & Na were estimated by September to November. Moisture content in flame photometer (Systronics). the collected tubers varied from 84.54% to 90.59%. Average weight of medium size tuber RESULTS AND DISCUSSION varied from 20.2 g to 31.11 g (Table 1).

Table 1: Moisture content (%) and Morphological evaluation of Ceropegia bulbosa tubers Region Beda Udaipur Jaswantpura

Moisture Content (%) 90.59 84.54 87.3

Average wt of one tuber (g) 20.17 31.11 21.56

Av. Length (cm) 3.42 4.49 3.15

Av. Width (cm) 3.69 4.94 3.28

Nutritional value the tubers was found as 29.94%. Deshmukh Nutritional evaluation of C.bulbosa, tubers and Rathod (2013) have evaluated the nutritive was carried out from three locations in value of Ceropegia bulbosa samples from Rajasthan. The results are shown in Table 2. Maharashtra. They have obtained slightly low Maximum ash (11.16 %) and Vitamin C values viz. fat (0.1%), ash (10.2%), crude fibre (45.17 mg/100g) was found in samples from (8.7%), crude protein (4.62%), total sugar Beda. Maximum fat (1.5 %) and sugar content (2.138%). Our values are slightly higher which (18.86 %) was found in samples from Udaipur. may be due to stress conditions existing in Protein content was higher in samples from Rajasthan. Jaswantpura (8.74%). Average fibre content in

Table 2: Mineral Content in Ceropegia bulbosa tubers Cu Zn Fe Mn Mg P K Ca Na mg/100g mg/100g mg/100g mg/100g mg/100g mg/100g g/100g g/100g g/100g Udaipur 1.33 5.33 42.33 5.5 270 0.165 2.95 0.10 0.44 Beda 1.2 3.8 22 1.3 250 0.045 6.94 0.71 0.55 Jaswantpura 1.9 2.7 22.3 0.8 278.9 0.011 2.98 0.59 0.43

Mineral analysis showed that samples from 900 µg/day, zinc 11 mg/day, magnesium 420 Udaipur were rich in all the micro elements mg/day, manganese 2.3 mg/day and iron 8 viz. Fe (42.33 mg/100g), Zn (5.33 mg/100gm), mg/day for adults (Food and Nutrition Board, Mn (5.5 mg/100g) and Phosphorus (0.165 Institute of medicine, National mg/100g) and samples from Bali were rich in Academies, www.nap.edu). Thus, a all the macro elements except Mg (270 Ceropegia bulbosa tuber of average weight of mg/100gm), which was more in Jalore samples atleast 20 g can provide upto 10 - 20% of the (Table 3). RDA. These tubers are especially rich in Iron The recommended dietary allowances and contain 10 times RDA (22- 42.33 (RDA) for minerals for adult males is calcium mg/100g). 1000 mg/day, phosphorus 800 mg/day, copper Copyright © Jan.-Feb., 2021; IJPAB 529

Rathore and Sharma Ind. J. Pure App. Biosci. (2021) 9(1), 527-530 ISSN: 2582 – 2845 Table 2: Nutritional evaluation of Ceropegia bulbosa tubers Year\ Udaipur Beda Jaswantpura Region Ash Fat Sugar Protein Vit C Ash Fat Sugar Protein Vit C Ash Fat Sugar Protein Vit C 2012 9.33 1.7 23.9 6.59 28.5 10.7 1.5 7.04 5.17 31.05 6.1 1.4 6.97 7.32 24.6 2013 9.9 1.57 14.9 10.45 43 11.9 1.42 7.9 8.62 60.46 4.3 1.3 7.5 9.4 35.8 2014 8.9 1.25 17.8 7.87 34 10.9 1.55 8.14 6.12 44 5.9 1.22 8.14 9.52 20.6 Mean±SE 9.37± 1.5± 18.86± 8.3± 35.16± 11.16 1.49± 7.69± 6.63± 45.17± 5.43± 1.3±0 7.53± 8.74± 27± 0.28 0.13 2.65 1.13 4.22 ±0.37 0.03 0.33 1.02 8.51 0.56 .05 0.33 0.71 4.54

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