Plukenetia Conophora) SEED PURCHASED in an OPEN MARKET in WARRI, DELTA STATE
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J. Chem. Soc. Nigeria, Vol. 41, No. 1, pp 125-129 [2016] THE NUTRITIONAL ASSESSMENT OF THE SEED OF WALNUT (Plukenetia conophora) SEED PURCHASED IN AN OPEN MARKET IN WARRI, DELTA STATE. NIGERIA. 1J. O. Akpoghelie, 2J. U. Esemedafe, R. Okoh and 3G. C. Ugochukwu 1Department of Chemistry, Delta State University, P. M. B 1, Abraka. Delta State, Nigeria 2Department of Environmental Science, Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, Delta State, Nigeria 3Integrated Science Department, College of Physical Education, Mosogar. Delta State. Nigeria Accepted:01/01/2016 *Corresponding author: [email protected] Abstract The nutritional assessment of the walnut seed (Plukenetia conophora) purchased in an open market in Warri, Delta State, Nigeria was evaluated. Moisture content was determined by drying to constant weight before subjecting for ashing. Oil content by soxhlet extraction; protein by kjeldahl method; vitamins by scalar analyzer 2000. Minerals content was determined by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. The result for the nutritional composition reveals that the raw seeds contain 3.18% of ash content, 39.27% of moisture content; 8.40% of crude fibre; 5.19% of fat content; 20.74% of protein content and 23.22% of carbohydrate content. The minerals content reveals the constituent to be K = 4029.14mg / kg; Na = 3480.00mg / kg; Ca = 3014.28mg / kg; Mg = 726.11mg / kg; Fe = 68.00mg / kg; Zn = 24.01mg / kg; Mn = 19.00kg / kg and Cu = 14.00mg / kg. The phytochemical constituent reveals the presence of alkaloid to be 1.92mg / kg; Tannin to be 0.042mk / kg and galic acid to be 0.019mg / kg. There were no traces of flavonoids, cardiac glycosides, saponin, ellagic acid, caffeinic acid and anthraquinones. The vitamin composition reveals that the seed contains ascorbic acid (C) = 1.98mg / 100g; thiamine (B1) = 66.47 g / 100g; riboflavin (B2) = 0.05 g / 100g; Niacin = 0.02 g / 100g; Cyanocobalamin (B12) = 0.07 g / 100g; The result of the nutritional composition of the Plukenetia conophora seed reveals that it is safe for public consumption and could be a potential source of useful drugs formulation. Keyword: Proximate composition, Plukenetia conophora, Tetracarpidium conophorum, phytochemical composition, vitamins, seed. Introduction nutrient and sensory quality of the nut. The proximate African walnut (Tetracarpidium conophorum), now composition, ascorbic acid and heavy metal contents of called Plukenetia conophora, is a small flowering plant, the nut as earlier had been reported [3]. The amino acid a tropical rambling, a woody perennial climber that is and fatty acid components of the nut and the use of its important for the nut and timber it produces [1]. It leaf juice for the treatment of prolonged and constant belongs to the family Euphorbiacea and it is widely hiccups has been reported [8, 9]. Walnuts are considered distributed and consumed by the inhabitant of the to be an herb in Traditional Chinese medicine. They are Southern, Western Nigeria and the western Cameroon. said to tonify kidneys, strengthen the back and knees, This plant is cultivated principally for the nuts which moisten the intestines and move stool. It is believed to are cooked and consumed as snacks [2, 3]. It is stop asthma and is prescribed to be taken between bouts contained in a pod which may house; one shelled nut of asthma, but not for acute asthma. It is used for the (single), two shelled nut (double) and three shelled nut. elderly as a constipation cure [10]. The bark is used in The walnut shells could be black or brown from the tea as laxative and chewed for toothache. It helps to plant. The nut is whitish upon cracking from the shell. prevent and control high blood pressure. Though, The nut has a thin layer in between two halves (when a Plukenetia conophora nut are generally eaten in nut is divided into two equal parts) of nut. A bitter taste Nigeria, little work has been done on the nutritional is usually observed upon drinking water immediately assessment of this nut sold in an open market in the oil after eating the nuts. This could be attributed to the rich city of Warri of the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. presence of chemical substances such as alkaloids [4]. Thus, this work is aimed at analyzing and assessing the Several works had been done on the walnut seed such as nutritional Composition of the seed of African Walnut the effect of processing methods on the biochemical, (Plukenetia conophora) with the view of ascertaining functional and anti - nutritional properties of African the effects of its consumption on the health of the walnut by [5]. [5] Reported the presence of oxalates, inhabitance of Warri, Delta State. Nigeria. phylates and tannin in raw T. conophorum nuts.[7] reported the impact of traditional processing on the 125 J. O. Akpoghelie, J. U. Esemedafe, R. Okoh and G. C. Ugochukwu Materials and Methods chromium solutions were determined using the atomic The Plukenetia conophora nut used in this study were absorption spectrophotometer. purchased from the Effurun main market, about a Vitamin Analysis kilometer from the Petroleum Training institute, The composition of the water - soluble vitamins such as Effurun, Uvwie local government area in the oil rich thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), city of Delta State, Nigeria. This market point serves as cyanocobalamin (B12) were determined by the method a central market where nut are purchased and of scalar analyzer (2000) While ascorbic acid (vitamin transported within the locality. Twenty nut samples C) content was determined by the AOAC method [11]. purchased were thus transported to the laboratory where The [14] method was used for the determination of analysis was carried out in composite. tannins, while Saponin was analyzed using that of [15]. Sample Preparation The nut were washed with deionize distilled water and Results and Discussion wiped with kitchen towel. The nuts were chopped into The results of the proximate, Phytochemical, minerals pieces with knife with steel blade. Large portion was and vitamins analysis of the Plukenetia conophora taken for moisture and ascorbic acid content (African Walnut) Seed is shown in table 1 – 5 determination. The rest of the chopped samples were dried under room temperature for one week before Table 1: Chemical Composition (%) milling to a coarse powder and stored in an air tight Chemical Composition Sample (%) bottle prior to analysis. Proximate Analysis Ash content % 3.18 Moisture content was determined by drying 3g of the Moisture Content % 39.27 fresh sample to constant weight at 60 - 80oC in a Crude Fibre % 8.40 circulating oven, for ash, 3g of the prepared sample Fat Content % 5.19 were placed in a ceramic crucible that had been Protein Content % 20.74 previously heated and cold until a constant weight was Carbohydrate Content % 23.22 obtained. The samples were then subjected to ashing in a muffle furnace maintained at about 550oC until a Table 2: Mineral Composition of the Seed on a constant final weight for ash was achieved. Oil content Dry Weight (mg/kg) was determined by soxhlet extraction with hexane as Minerals Concentration (mg / kg) solvent, protein by the kjeldahl method, and crude fibre by the acid and alkaline digestive methods [11]. The Potassium 4029.14 total carbohydrate content was estimated by difference Sodium 3480.00 obtained after subtracting protein, fat, water, crude fibre Calcium 3014.28 and ash percentage from one hundred. Magnesium 726.11 Phytochemical Analysis Iron 68.00 Phytochemical screening was done on the sample using Zinc 24.01 methods as described by [11, 12]. Alkaloids were Manganese 19.00 extracted using a slightly modified method [13]. The Copper 14.00 dried sample was homogenized and the alkaloid extracted from 10g of the sample for 4hr, using 20% v/v Table 3: Phytochemical constituent of Walnut acetic acid in ethanol. The extract was filtered to Seed (mg/kg) remove cellulose debris and then concentrated to about Constituent Quantity w/w (mg / kg) one quarter of the original volume. One percent NH4OH was added drop wise until a precipitate occurred. The Alkaloids 1.920 crude alkaloid was dried to constant weight in an oven Saponin 0.000 and the percentage alkaloid calculated. Tannins 0.042 Mineral Analysis Anthraquinones 0.000 The mineral content of each samples were determined Gallic acid 0.019 by atomic absorption spectrophotometry after 2g of the dry ash samples was transferred quantitatively into a The result obtained from table 1 reveals that Ash conical flask and dissolved in 10 ml of 3 N HCl, and the Content amount to 3.18%, Moisture Content 39.27%, mixture was heated on a hot plate. Crude Fibre 8.40%, Fat Content 5.19%, Protein Content The solution was filtered into a 100 ml volumetric flask 20.74% and Carbohydrate Content amount to and made up to the mark with distilled water. The 23.22%.The results reveal that the P. Conophora is a mineral content of Calcium, sodium, potassium, rich source of carbohydrate while it has a moderate magnesium, iron, zinc, manganese, copper and 126 J. Chem. Soc. Nigeria, Vol. 41, No. 1, pp 125-129 [2016] amount of protein with low ash content. This implies exploited and used as as pharmaceuticals, stimulants, that the seed could be used as boost for carbohydrate narcotics, and poisons due to their potent biological and protein content of most food product sold in the activities [24]. This is why the seed is believed to stop market. asthma and is prescribed to be taken between bouts of asthma, but not for acute asthma, it is used for elderly as Table 4: Vitamin composition of the raw seed on a a constipation cure [10].The presence of tannins in the dry weight basis (mg/kg) seed of p conophora can support its strong use for Vitamin Amount healing of haemorrhoids, frost bite and varicose ulcers AscorbicAcid (vitamin C) mg /100g 1.98 in herbal medicine [25, 26].