Leaf Proximate Compositions of Some Selected Species Belong to Solanaceae Family
Safia Abdullahi Abdelmageed Mohammed
Biology Department, College of Science, Taibah University, Al Madinah Al Munawwarah, 42353, Saudi Arabia.
Mubarak Siddig Hamad *
Phytochemistry and Taxonomy Department, Medicinal, Aromatic Plants and Traditional Medicine Research Institute, National Center for Research, Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
This study evaluated the proximate composition of some selected plants belong to Solanaceae family to assess their nutritional potential. The proximate analysis (carbohydrates, fats, proteins, moisture and ash) of all plant samples were determined by using AOAC methods. The analysis revealed that carbohydrates constituted the highest proportion, followed by proteins, ash, crude fibers, moisture and fats. The predominance of carbohydrates indicates a strong energy-suppling capacity, while the proteins content suggests nutritional value for growth and maintanance. The ash content reflects the presence of essential minerals and the obtained Crude fiber in the current study indicates that the leaves are a good source of cellulose. the high level moistiure indicates physiological freshness, although it may reduce shelf life if not properly managed. The relative low fat content is consistent with typical leafy materials and is nutriionaly favorable. The obtained proximate profile highlights the nutritional and functional potential of the leaves, supporting their possible utization in food, feed and medicinal applications.
Keywords: Solanaceae family, proximate compositions, nutritional values, medicinal applications, medicinal plants