Determination of Nutritional, Health and Medical Value of Adansonia digitata Leaves in Nigeria
Published: 2020-06-05
Page: 61-66
Issue: 2020 - Volume 3 [Issue 2]
H. A. Aliyu *
Department of Disaster Risk Reduction, National Emergency Management Agency, North West Zonal Office, Kaduna State, P.M.B. 2710, Nigeria.
A. M. Danjuma
Department of Science Laboratory and Technology, College of Science and Technology, Umaru Ali Shinkafi Polytechnic Sokoto, Sokoto State, P.M.B. 2346, Nigeria.
K. Abubakar
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Sokoto State University, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
African Baobab (Adansonia digitata L., Malvaceae) is an important indigenous food tree species for food security, nutrition, income generation and medicine for rural people in Africa. This research was aimed to examine medicinal and nutritional value of Adansonia digitata’s leaves (Baobab). Baobab leaves were grinded and transferred into dilute ethanol solution and allowed to soak for 10 minutes. The extract was collected using Whitman No 1 filter paper under aseptic condition. The proximate analysis of Adansonia digitata (Baobab) leaves revealed the presence of ash, moisture, crude fiber and crude protein contents all present in the extract, in 1.94%, 2.5%, 0.81% and 8.0% respectively. The study proves that baobab leaves provide nutrient that are required by the human body when consumed and that the leaves are a form of herbal medicine that has the potential of curing several diseases.
Keywords: Adansonia digitata, baobab, phytochemical screening, proximate analysis, nutritional value cholera and typhoid.