Danladi Nygan Bala

In the southern and southwestern parts of Nigeria, xylopia aethiopica is much acclaimed to possess nutritional properties for the control of diverse or definite physiological processes and were evaluated and compared based on the folklore methods of the finished medicinal products and practices. Result showed variability and statistically significant differences in the percent composition of the detected bio-active phyto-mineral elements and suggested that the novel hydro-alcoholic formulations, specifically, hydro-methanolic, potentiated the stimulation of the phyto-minerals and ranked: hydro-methanolic (60.8%), > hydro-ethanolic (21.3%), > methanolic (11.81%) > ethanolic (6.15%). Evident in hydro-methanolic formulation, it can be a good source of the following micro-minerals: iron (32.7%), magnesium (10.2%), manganese (8.9%), calcium (7.6%), potassium (0.69%), zinc (0.36%), sodium (0.28%), phosphorus (0.08%) and lead (0.001%). The percent proximate composition ranged: carbohydrate 72.6 to 77.7, protein 12 to 14.7, fiber 2.99 to 6.0, ash value 2.5 to 3.9, lipid/fat 1.47 to 2.3, and moisture content 0.98 to 1.96. While the anti-nutrients detected were: tannin 87%, oxalate 12.03%, hydrogen cyanide 0.93%, and phytate 0.08%.  The findings of this study provided importantly that xylopia aethiopica can ameliorate natural healing and scientific credence on the rationale of the folklore hydro-alcoholic methods, particularly, hydro-methanolic formulations in processing and dispensing the finished bio-active products from which our understanding of the safety, effectiveness and quality of finished nutritional or medicinal products and practices may emerge.