PHYTOCHEMICAL AND PROXIMATE ANALYSIS OF PULP AND SEED OF AFRICAN PEAR (Dacryodes edulis)
UWEM ISONG AKPAN
Department of Chemistry, University of Uyo, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.
ELECHI OWHOEKE *
Department of Pure and Industrial Chemistry, University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
This study investigated the pulp and seed of the African Pear (Dacryodes edulis) for proximate composition and phytochemical parameters. A standard test method was employed to effective check both parameters. The proximate analysis shows that moisture content for the pulp and seed were 54.49±2.40% and 54.62±2.34%, ash content: 1.70±0.030% and 2.00±0.07%, carbohydrate composition: 11.06±0.12 and 10.10±0.68, protein contents were 8.75±0.50 and 9.63±0.68, lipids showed 23.50±1.00% and 22.60±1.34 and the fibre contents were 0.50±0.02 and 1.06±0.03 respectively. The phytochemical properties confirms the presence of alkaloid ( pulp = 7.68±0.30% and seed = 7.68±0.33%), flavonoid (pulp = 3.48±0.09% and seed = 3.38±0.33%), saponin (pulp = 2.50±0.03% and seed = 2.50±0.04%), tannins (pulp = 2.41±0.01% and seed = 2.60±0.21%) , oxalate (Pulp = 4.08±0.10% and seed = 4.09±0.09%), cyanogenic glycoside (pulp = 0.0008±0.00001% and seed = 0.0008±0.00001%) and phytate ( pulp = 0.63±0.01% and seed = 0.63±0.01%). The investigation has shown that the African pear contains essential nutrients with some medicinal metabolites, so could serve as a source of raw material for the pharmaceutical industries.
Keywords: Proximate, phytochemicals, Africa pear, Port Harcourt, percentages