Phytoconstituent Analyses of Selected Wild Edible Plants Constituting Diets of Pregnant Women in Buikwe District, Uganda

Pregnancy is a very critical phase in a woman's life where she has to ensure that she eats the right food, in the right portions and with the necessary nutrient requirements for proper foetal development.

Aims: To determine the proximate, mineral and vitamin composition of five wild edible plants (WEPs) consumed by pregnant women in Buikwe district.

Study Design: Experimental.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Chemistry, Natural Chemotherapeutic Research Institute (Ministry of Health, Uganda) and Department of Chemistry, Uganda Industrial Research Institute (Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, Uganda), between March 2016 and August 2016.

Methodology: Solanum nigrum L. (leaves), Solanum anguivi Lam. (fruits), Aframomum angustifolium (Sonn.) K. schum. (fruits), Physalis angulata L. (fruits) and Cleome gynandra L. (leaves) were analysed. Proximate and vitamin analyses were carried out following standard procedures. Minerals were analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. Total carbohydrate and energy were calculated as crude by difference and using Atwater factors respectively. Species were scored and each species’ contribution towards the pregnancy Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) calculated.

Results: S. nigrum had the highest potassium (3042.8±107.39), sodium (44.12±0.86), magnesium (176.71±15.57) and iron (61.37±2.20). P. angulata had the highest moisture (1.76±0.00), copper (3.12±0.77), vitamin A (1.86±0.18) and vitamin C (26.27±2.53). C. gynandra had the highest crude ash (17.16 ±0.13), protein (35.13±0.04), phosphorous (3349.4±429.4) and calcium (1113.7±79.36). S. anguivi had the highest crude fibre (40.19±0.09). A. angustifolium had the highest crude fat (3.02±0.01), total carbohydrate (85.91±0.34), energy (410.10±411.59), zinc (55.76±3.87) and manganese (30.19±0.14). There was a significant difference (P>.05) in the protein, fibre, potassium, sodium and vitamin A content of all the species. S. nigrum and P. angulata had the highest mineral (81.67%) and vitamin (105.38%) scores respectively. All values are mg per 100 g of dry sample.

Conclusion: Results justify the nutritional significance of the analysed species thus their ability to meet pregnancy nutrient requirements.