Phytochemical and Nutritional Composition Analysis of Murraya koenigii Linn Leaves

Vegetable is an indispensable constituent of human diet that supplies the body with minerals, vitamins and certain hormone precursors, in addition to protein and energy. The phytochemical and proximate analyses of Murraya koenigii Linn leaves were carried out according to methods of AOAC. The plant leaves were assayed for contents of vitamins and mineral elements using spectrophotometric methods. The results of phytochemical analysis revealed that leaves of Murraya koenigii Linn contained high quantities of flavonoids (600.25 +/- 0.41), alkaloids (343.34 +/- 0.25) and tannins (206.05 +/- 7.50) with low levels of saponins (0.03 +/- 0.01) and carotenoids (0.10 +/- 0.05) all in mg/100 g). The results of proximate analysis showed a low crude fibre content of 1.78 +/- 0.51% and carbohydrate content of 1.29 +/- 0.01% but a relatively high content of moisture 84.60 +/- 1.20%, fats and oils 5.13 +/- 0.95%, proteins 3.60 +/- 1.29% and ash 3.60 +/- 0%. The results of vitamin compositions indicated high levels of vitamin C (815.00 +/- 0.81), B3 (215.01 +/- 1.67), B2 (25.68 +/- 4.86) and B1 (13.34 +/- 0.59) with low content of vitamins E (1.08 +/- 0.12) and A (2.98 +/- 0.26) all in mg/100 g. The mineral elements constituents showed presence of Fe (9.44 +/- 0.07), Ca (3.77 +/- 0.33), Na (46.00 +/- 2.00), K (3.13 +/- 0.02), Mn (3.38 +/-), Ni (0.12 +/- 0.01), Cu (2.40 +/- 0.07) and Co (0.08 +/- 0.01) all in mg/100 g. Thus, these mineral concentrations are all below the tolerable levels except Zn (80.67 +/- 0.78 mg/100 g) which is 40 mg/day. Despite that this plant contained numerious chemical contituents that have therapeutic effects in the body as well as those that are essential for normal functioning of the body, this research suggest additional phytochemical analysis in way to identify which alkaloids are specifically present in M. Koenigii Linn.