Evaluation of Proximate, Mineral and Phytochemical Compositions of Carapa procera (Family Meliaceae)

This study was conducted to evaluate the medicinal value of C. procera seeds. The seeds of C. procera were collected from the Tsampoko village, district of Gamboma, in northern area of Congo on 14th March 2013. Nuts were dried in an oven at 70°C for 24 h and milled into powder. The powder was used for proximate, mineral and phytochemical analysis. The proximate analysis of the seed revealed high moisture (47.92%), fat (23.14%), carbohydrate (17.13%) and energy value (1285.60 Kg/100 g) while the crude protein (8.13%) and the ash (3.68%) were found to be low. The mineral analysis showed that Phosphorus (15.72%) was the most abundant element, followed by iron (2.82%) and potassium (1.23%). Calcium and magnesium were found in low concentrations (0.22 and 0.23%, respectively) while sodium and manganese were detected in trace quantities (0.01-0.02%). The phytochemical screening of crude solvent extracts revealed the presence in methanol of alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides, saponins, steroids, tannins, triterpenoids, anthocyanins and phenols. In carbon tetrachloride steroids and tannins were not detected. Anthraquinones were absent in all the screened extracts of both solvents. Quantitative analysis of the seeds showed high alkaloid, flavonoid and phenolic concentrations (5.67±0.18, 5.98±1.38 and 7.46±0.15%, respectively) while saponins and anthocyanins were detected in low quantities (0.92±0.10 and 2.01±0.12%).