Balanites aegyptiaca

The objective of the study was to investigate the effect of fruit shape and location on the chemical constituents (Sugars, saponins, protein, oil and moisture content) of Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Del. fruit. Balanites aegyptiaca mature healthy fruits, were collected from Jhunjhanu Province in Rajsthan, and Ambala Province in Punjab, in the period (2003-2005). The percentages of the fruit different parts were determined and chemical and statistical analysis (SAS) methods were carried out to obtain the percentages of sugar, saponin, protein, oil and moisture contents in the Balanites’ fruit as well as to detect the significant variation between shapes and locations. The study found that, there were significant differences (P> 0.05), between the four fruit shapes (oblong, elongate, spherical and oval fruits) in the studied chemical constituents across and within sites and between locations. The highest saponin content (4%) was obtained by oblong fruits while the highest invert sugar (40.9%) and oil content (44.9%) were obtained by oval fruits. Saponin average percentage obtained in Ambala location was double that obtained in Jhunjhanu; the higher sugar percentage was obtained in Jhunjhanu location. Protein content was found to be of higher content than that reported in the literature; it ranged between 49.6 (oval fruit) and 53.8% (oblong fruit). Moisture content was not significantly different between shapes and locations of a mean 9.3%. The study concluded with that, the amounts of sugar, saponin, oil and protein, in Balanites fruit; were found in considerable percentages calling to introduce Balanites different types to the food, pharmaceutical and medicinal industries.

Leaves of Balanites aegyptiaca have been used in Africa as traditional medicine in the form of juice to treat diarrhea, dysentery, cuts and wounds. So this study is intended to discover the antioxidant and antibacterial activity of Balanites aegyptiaca leaves. Leaves were macerated using methanol to get a crude extract. Antioxidant activity of methanol extract was found to be 89.6 % at 1 mg/mL with IC50 value of 182.02 μg/mL (r2 = 0.9883) using DPPH (2, 2-Diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl) free radical scavenging method. In addition, the antibacterial activity of the methanolic leaf extracts was assessed on one gram-positive and one gram-negative bacterium using the disc diffusion assay. Antibacterial activity of methanol extract was higher for Escherichia coli with 8.15 ± 1.22 mm zone of inhibition and for Staphylococcus aureus methanol extract was not effective with the zone of inhibition of 0.00 ± 0.00 mm. The methanolic leaves extract of B. aegyptiaca revealed potential antioxidant activity but antibacterial activity was found to be relatively lower to that of the standard antibiotics used.