Proximate Based Comparative Assessment of Five Medicinal Plants to Meet the Challenges of Malnutrition
Javid Hussain *
Department of Chemistry, Kohat University of Science and Technology, Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan and Department of Biological Sciences and Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Nizwa, Oman
Najeeb Ur Rehman
Department of Chemistry, Kohat University of Science and Technology, Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan and Department of Biological Sciences and Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Nizwa, Oman
Abdul Latif Khan
Department of Chemistry, Kohat University of Science and Technology, Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan and Department of Biological Sciences and Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Nizwa, Oman
Liaqat Ali
Department of Biological Sciences and Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Nizwa, Oman
Ahmed Al-Harrasi
Department of Biological Sciences and Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Nizwa, Oman
Zabta Khan Shinwari
Department of Biotechnology, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
Hidayat Hussain
Department of Biological Sciences and Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Nizwa, Oman
Tania Shamim Rizvi
National Nematological Research Centre, University of Karachi, Karachi-75270, Pakistan
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aims: The present study aimed to assess the nutritional significance of some of the economically important medicinal plants species collected from Pakistan.
Study Design: The study was designed in randomized block design and each analysis was performed with three replicates.
Place and Duration of Study: Kohat University of Science and Technology, Kohat and duration of the study was ten months.
Methodology: Present study was conducted to determine the nutritional importance of medicinal plants viz. Achyranthes aspera, Xanthium strumarium, Albizzia lebbeck, Amaranthus cruentus and Calotropis procera. Proximate compositions of these plant species (moisture, ash, fats, fiber, alcohol soluble extractive (ASE), proteins, carbohydrates and energy value) were carried out using standard methods of food analysis.
Results: The mean moisture content ranged from 0.334% for X. strumarium to 8.18% for A. cruentus. X. strumarium was found highest in fats, fibers and ASE. Highest percentage of moisture (8.2%) and ash (15.9%) was found in A. cruentus. C. procera was identified as a good source of carbohydrates (67.3%) and energy value (301.9 kcal/100g). The ICP-OES analysis of the medicinal plants showed that A. lebbeck had significant concentrations of calcium while A. cruentus had highest concentration of iron, potassium, magnesium, manganese and phosphorous as compared to other medicinal plants. The heavy metals contents were either absent or negligible.
Conclusion: The present finding suggests that the selected medicinal plants have a promising potential to not only cure ailments but to maintain a healthy life.
Keywords: Medicinal plants, proximate analysis, kjelflex, nutrients