Chemical and Some Biochemical Assessments of Various Parts of Passion Fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims) Plant

Abstract

Background and Objective: The medicinal importance of plants and plant products have been of global relevance and interest. However, this study sought to investigate the proximate and antinutrients compositions, nutritional viable minerals evaluation and in vitro antioxidants assessments of the Passiflora edulis plant. Materials and Methods: Fresh samples of the plant of passion fruit ( Passiflora edulis Sims) were obtained and separated into the leaf, leaf stalk, fruit pod and fruit seed which were air-dried, crushed and subsequently ground to powder and assessed for various parameters using standard methods. Results: The proximate analysis showed that nutritional compounds were well distributed in different concentrations in the plant. The antinutrients factors of phytate, oxalate and tannin were present in varying concentrations in the plant. The results also showed the leaves and seeds contained higher concentrations of vitamin C than other parts of the plant. The in vitro antioxidant analyses of various parts of the plant showed that all the parts possessed the ability to scavenge DPPH and ABTS free radicals, ferric reducing antioxidant power with iron chelation potential as well as good concentrations of flavonoids and total phenolic contents in varying percentages and concentrations in all the parts of the plant. It was also evidenced in the results that all the parts of the plant contained macro and micro nutritional viable elements like iron, sodium, calcium, zinc, manganese, nickel, cobalt and copper as well as lead except chromium and cadmium that were not detectable. Conclusion: It could also be seen from the results that all the parts of the plant are potentially good sources of nutritional and medicinally important compounds and can be utilized in animal feeds composition.