Phytochemical screening, Mineral and Amino acids Compositions of Carica papaya root in South western Nigeria

Abstract

Sample of Carica papaya root was collected from the teaching and research farm of Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria and analyzed for phytochemical, mineral and amino acids constituents of the root, using standard methods of analysis. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, saponin, tannin, steroid, cardiac glycosides, anthraquinone, and cardiac glycoside while flavonoid was absent. The result of mineral analysis showed the amount of mineral present in the following order: K>Mg>Na>Fe>Ca>Mn>Zn. Amino acids analysis revealed that glycine (0.15±0.002) was the highest amount present in the root followed by phenylalanine (0.100±0.001), isoleucine (0.087±0.000), leucine (0.085±0.000), histidine (0.066±0.000), lysine (0.054±0.003), trypsin (0.044±0.003), threonine (0.044±0.001) and valine (0.043±0.000) while others were present in traces. The presence of secondary metabolites, essential minerals and amino acids in the root could make the root possess medicinal properties which could be used in the prophylactic and therapeutic control of ailments. Therefore, the root could be manipulated in the herbal treatment of various diseases and as a potential source of useful elements for drugs formulation.

Keywords: papaya, minerals, phytochemicals, prophylactic, therapeutic

DOI: 10.7176/JSTR/6-09-04