Proximate Composition of Leaf and Phytochemical Screening of Leaf, Stem and Root of Tridax procumbens Cultivated in North-East Nigeria

Abstract

Proximate and phytochemical compositions of Tridax procumbens were investigated in order to ascertain their nutritional and other applications. The results obtained indicated the following proximate composition, ash (4.30 ± 0.007), moisture (5.00 ± 0.003), crude lipids (12.5 ±0.005), crude fiber (5.70 ± 0.005), crude protein (19.4 ± 0.008) and total carbohydrate (53.1 ± 0.046). Phytochemical screening of acetone and aqueous extracts of the leaves, stem – bark and root of the plants (Tridax procumbens) indicated the presence of phyto-compounds in both extracts. Flavonoids were absent in leaves and stem-bark but presence in the root extracts. Glycosides and terpenoids were absence in the aqueous extracts. However, the acetone extracts indicated the presence of terpenoid in the leaf. The results revealed that different parts of Tridax procumbens contain bioactive compounds that may have some therapeutic potential.