Phytochemical Analysis Of Some Selected Forest Fruits In Umuahia Abia State

ABSTRACT

The phytochemicals, nutrittonal, vitamin and mineral composition of some selected forest fruits from different families was investigated. Uvaria. chamae (Anonaceacae), Cola rostrata (Sterculiaceae), Maesobotrya barteri (Euphorbiacea e), Dioscoreopyllum cumminsfi (Menispermaceae), and Adenia lobata (passifloraceae) . The fruits are used for the analysis . On Average the phytochemical constituent of the fruits ranges from , Alkaloid (0.012-0. o2omgml), Tannin (0.001-0. o23mgml), saponin (0.01-0. o3mgml), phenol (0.001-0.002mgml), Flavonoid (0.01-0.07mgm1), Hydrogen cyanide (0.02-0.08). The fruits contain crude protein (0.09-0.10%), crude fiber (0.02-0.27%), carbohydrate (0.14-0.66), Ash (0.06-0.19%), Moist ure(0.23- 4.30%) and fat (0.012-0.031%).they also contain Vitamin A (0.04-0.07%), Vitamin C (1.02%), Niacin (0.01-0.02%), Thiamine (0.03-0.06%), Riboflavin 0.01-0.02%) and iiiinerals ;Calcium (2.312-4.008%), Magnesium (1.38- 2.77%), Phosphorous (0.23-17.15%), and Potassium(0. 4-0.92%). The result suggest that these fruits could be potentially be used as raw materials in drug manufacturing, dietary and nutritional supplements.