Abstract

COMPARISON OF THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION, NUTRITIONAL VALUES, TOTAL PHENOLICS AND FLAVONOIDS CONTENT OF THE RIPE AND UNRIPE SOLANUM NIGRUM LINN. FRUITS FROM NIGERIA

Godwin Ndarake Enin*, Bassey Sunday Antia, Solomon Enejo Shaibu, Itoro Nyakno Willie, Ekeno Ernest Asuquo and Ubok-mfon Ime Umoh

ABSTRACT

Solanum nigrum Linn is employed in Nigerian traditional medicine for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders, stomach aches, enteric diseases and erysipelas. In this study, ethanol and ethyl-acetate crude extracts of the Nigerian harvested Solanum nigrum ripe fruits and unripe fruits were analysed using Gas Chromatography Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS), to identify the different chemical substances in the extracts while nutritional values, total phenolic (TPC) and total flavonoid (TFC) contents were determined using standard procedures. Preliminary phytochemical investigations revealed the presence of alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids, tannins, terpenes, cardiac glycosides, steroids, cyanogenic glycosides and reducing sugars but absence of anthraquinones. GC-MS analysis showed that the ethanol ripe-fruit extract contains cis-13-Octadecenoic acid, methyl ester (23.29%), Hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester (16.42%), 5-Cholestene-3-ol, 24-methyl- (10.14%), ℽ-Tocopherol (6.85%) and 10,13-Octadecadienoic acid, methyl ester (5.62%) as the major components while for the unripe fruits: ℽ-Sitosterol (20.02%), 9-Octadecenoic acid (Z)-, methyl ester (14.00%), Hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester (10.47%), n-Hexadecanoic acid (6.33%) and Linoleic acid ethyl ester (5.21%) were found to be predominant. TPC (mg GAE/g) and TFC (mg QE/g) for the ripe-fruits were 349.620 and 426.152 while for the unripe-fruits were 316.520 and 421.615 respectively. The average nutritional value estimation on dry matter basis per 100 g of sample was: carbohydrate (24.40%), fibre (4.08%), lipid (1.59%), crude protein (2.04%), ash (11.87%) and moisture (56.07%). The total caloric value per 100 g was 119.42 kcal. Mineral composition (mg/100) of Na 1165.17, K 2998.35, Ca 587.53, Mg 374.94, Fe 11.41, P 448.92, Zn 10.37 and Cu 12.07 were observed. The present study suggests that the S. nigrum Linn fruits contain valuable health-protecting compounds and could provide a good source of dietary supplements.

Keywords: Chemical composition, Solanum nigrum Linn, GC-MS, nutritional value ripe and unripe fruits, Nigeria.