Bioactive and Nutritional Potential of Commelina diffusa: A Comprehensive Study
Wellington, E. O *
Department of Chemical Science, Faculty of Basic and Applied Sciences (Biochemistry), University of Africa, Toru-Orua, Nigeria.
Felagha, I
Department of Chemical Science, Faculty of Basic and Applied Sciences (Biochemistry), University of Africa, Toru-Orua, Nigeria.
Otobo, M. B
Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Medical Science, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
This study characterized the proximate, mineral, vitamin, and amino acid composition in the aerial parts of Commelina diffusa. The nutritional properties of the plant were estimated exploiting benchmark methods. The crude protein content was 17.39 ±0.04 %, crude fat (11.60±0.03%), and carbohydrate (37.04±0.05%). The calcium (321.26±12.01mg/100g), potassium (721.51±7.12mg/100g), manganese (47.19±3.16mg/100g), sodium (64.04±11.08mg/100g), molybdenum (1.38±0.12mg/100g), iron (57.10±2.15mg/100g), selenium (48.26±11.05mg/100g), magnesium (18.17±0.03mg/100g), zinc (29.37±1.16mg/100g), phosphorus (237.28±13.05mg/100g), and iodine (1.30±0.03mg/100g). The vitamin C content characterized (64.21±5.01mg/100g), E (21.27±3.15mg/100g), B1 (19.31±3.00mg/100g), B2 (24.16±2.19mg/100g), B3 (33.26±1.26mg/100g), B5 (13.91±1.03mg/100g), and B6 (21.83±3.04mg/100g). The glutamate level was 17.27±1.03mg/100g, arginine (13.63±2.10mg/100g), lysine (11.02±1.06mg/100g), phenylalanine (9.31±0.38mg/100g), alanine (8.31±1.17mg/100g), serine (8.26±2.01mg/100g), methionine (7.21±0.01mg/110g), aspartate (6.11±1.23mg/100g), tyrosine (6.28±1.03mg/100g), valine (5.03±0.10mg/100g), glycine (4.82±0.23mg/100g), isoleucine (4.61±1.21mg/100g), histidine (2.93±0.28mg/100g), threonine (3.56±1.20mg/100g), and leucine (2.38±1.03mg/100g). The result revealed that the aerial parts of Commelina diffusa has a good shelf-life, high carbohydrate content, moderately and acceptable values for crude protein and lipid.
Keywords: Commelina diffusa, high performance liquid chromatography, proximate parameters, vitamins, mineral, amino acids