PHYTOCHEMICAL, VITAMIN COMPOSITIONS AND ANTIOXIDANT POTENTIAL OF Kigelia africana FRUIT AND LEAF MEALS

This experiment was conducted to investigate the chemical composition of Kigelia africana (KA) fruit and leaf meals where the qualitative and quantitative phytochemicals, antioxidant potentials, and vitamins compositions of both samples were compared. The most available phytochemical in both fruit and leaf was flavonoid and was significantly (p<0.05) higher in the fruit. The free radical scavenging activity conducted by spectro-photometric assay on the reduction of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and total antioxidant potential (TAP) assay were both compared with a standard, ascorbic acid. The antioxidant potentials (DPPH and TAP) of both fruit and leaf were significantly (p<0.05) higher than that of the standard. The vitamins, except vitamin E were significantly (p<0.05) higher in the fruit. In conclusion, Kigelia africana fruit is richer in flavonoid, some vitamins compared with the leaf and this can explain it great antioxidant potentials recorded in this trial. However, based on the nutritional composition and antioxidant potentials of this plant parts, they can both be included in rabbit and ruminant diet to boost productivity, solve some health conditions and at the same time solve the environmental problems that the fruit of this tree usually constitute in areas where the tree is abundant.