472-479
Health promoting compounds and in vitro antioxidant activity of raw and decoctions of Gnetum aficanum Welw.
Authors: Eleazu Chinedum Ogbonnaya, Eleazu Kate Chinedum
Number of views: 279
Objective: To investigate the effect of Gnetum africanum on its pharmacopotency as well as its
nutritional properties.
Methods: The total chlorophyll, carotenoids, proximates, phytochemicals, minerals, vitamins as
well as antioxidant assays were performed using standard techniques.
Results: The raw leaves of the vegetable (Gnetum africanum) possessed significant amounts
of proximates, phytochemicals, minerals, vitamins, chlorophyll as well as antioxidant activity,
but had low levels of carbohydrates and energy value. The cooking method adopted resulted in
insignificant loss of lipids, carbohydrates, vitamins, phytochemicals, chlorophyll, significant loss
of energy and carotenoids (P<0.05), insignificant increase in moisture, crude fibre, crude protein,
Ca, Fe, Zn, but significant increase in ash, Mg and P (P<0.05).
Conclusions: The conventional method of cooking the raw Gnetum africana in Nigeria results in
insignificant loss of its lipids, carbohydrates, vitamins, phytochemicals, chlorophyll, significant
loss of its energy and carotenoids (P<0.05), insignificant increase in its moisture, crude fibre,
crude protein, Ca, Fe, Zn, but significant increase in its ash, Mg and P contents as well as its
antioxidant capacity which confers high pharmaco potency to the cooked form of this vegetable,
justifying its usage in the dietary management of a wide array of diseases in Nigeria. The results
obtained are discussed from a biochemical point of view.