Characterizing Nutritional, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Values of Diploknema butyracea (Roxburgh) H. J. Lam from the Chepang Community, Makwanpur, Nepal

Abstract

The multipurpose tree Diploknema butyracea (Roxb. H.J. Lam), known locally as Chiuri, is vital for food security and beekeeping in rural Nepal. This study examines its nutritional and phytochemical traits sourced from a Chepang community in Makwanpur, Nepal. This research focuses on macronutrients like carbohydrates, protein, fat, and ash alongside phytochemicals such as phenolic content, vitamin C, β-carotene, and lycopene. The study aimed to estimate this fruit's antimicrobial and antioxidant characteristics. The pulp and seed samples were analyzed for their nutritional and phytochemical components using standard methods (AOAC 1995). We determined the antioxidant and antimicrobial activity using the DPPH assay and agar diffusion method. This fruit has a high-fat content: 30.29% in the seed and 20.23% in the pulp. The pulp and seed also contain noteworthy levels of the total phenolic content (486.08 ± 0.006 and 182. 26 ± 0.001 mg Gallic Acid Equivalent (G.A.E.s) /100 g), vitamin C (20.70 ± 0.002 and 19.08 ± 0.005 mg Ascorbic Acid (A.A.)/100 g) with trace extents of compounds lycopene, β-carotene and carotenoids. We observed the antioxidant activity at 2207 ± 0.01 g/mL in pulp and 1841.05 ± 0.77 g/mL in seed, which is a substantial value. Both were discovered to be effective against Candida albicans at doses ranging from 25 to 100 mg/mL. By performing this study, we concluded that D. butyracea is a significant food source that can also be used medically.