Antinutritional Extractions

Antinutrients are important phytochemicals that also determine the safety of medicinal and nutritional plant parts. The antinutrients of Moringa oleifera and Vernonia amygdalina (bitter leaf) leaves were extracted by soaking, using water, ethanol and hydromethanol (1:1) as solvents. The phytochemical analyses were done both qualitatively and quantitatively (using Spectrophotometer: UV-V15). This study showed that Moringa and bitter leaf contain some antinutritional constituents, including Tannins, Oxalates, Saponins and Alkaloids. Hydromethanol extracted the highest concentration of Tannins (65.91%) from bitter leaf extract. Ethanol extracted the highest concentrations of Oxalates (5.2 x 103 Mg/100g) and Saponins (7,616.84 µg/g) from both medicinal leaves and the highest concentration of Alkaloids from Bitter leaves only. Water extracted the highest concentrations of Alkaloids and Tannins from Moringa leaves only. Generally, ethanol solvent yielded highest crude extraction of antinutrients in the herbs. Therefore, it is also necessary to consider the antinutritional yield of a solvent in the choice of solvents for herbal production.