ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to determine the anti-nutritional factors of Heinsia crinita leaves. The sample was analyzed using standard analytical methods. The result of the study revealed the following; HCN (1.240±0.071 mg/100g), Tannin (07.125±0.078 mg/100g), Phytate (3.590±0.042 mg/100g) and oxalate (0.095±0.049 mg/100g). All the anti-nutrients detected were below the lethal dose. This implies that the consumption of the Heinsia crinita will not result in any toxicities from to antinutrients. Therefore, its consumption is recommended as a result of it important medicinal benefits.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page    –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         i

Certification –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         ii

Dedication   –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         iii

Acknowledgements         –         –         –         –         –         –         iv

Abstract       –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         vi

Table of Contents  –         –         –         –         –         –         –         vii

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study – –         –         –         –         –         1

1.2 Aim and Objectives of the Study –         –         –         –         4

1.3 Scope and Limitation of the Study –         –         –         –         4

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1     Botanical Classification of Heinsia crinita    –         –         –         5

2.2     Description of the Plant   –         –         –         –         –         –         6

2.3     Uses of the Plant    –         –         –         –         –         –         –         6

2.4     Antinutritional Factors     –         –         –         –         –         –         7

2.4.1  Lectins         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         7

2.4.2  Protease Inhibitors –         –         –         –         –         –         –         9

2.4.3  Phytates       –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         9

2.4.4  Goitrogens   –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         10

2.4.5  Oxalates       –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         11

2.5     Antinutritional and Human Health       –         –         –         –         12

2.6     Disabling Antinutrients    –         –         –         –         –         –         14

CHAPTER THREE: MATERIALS AND METHOD

3.1     Materials      –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         19

3.2     Method        –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         19

3.2.1  Sample Collection and Preparation      –         –         –         –         19

3.2.2  Sample Digestion  –         –         –         –         –         –         –         19

3.2.3  Determination of Anti-nutrient in the Sample          –         –         20

CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION    

4.1     Results         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         23

4.2     Discussion   –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         24

CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1     Conclusion  –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         28

5.2     Recommendations –         –         –         –         –         –         –         28

References

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.1     Background of the Study

Food is  an  essential  part  of  people’s  lives.  Despite the world  produces  enough  food  for  everyone,  over  800  million people  still  go  to  bed  hungry.  Furthermore, malnutrition and  hunger-related  diseases  cause  over  60%  of  deaths. Eliminating  hunger  and  malnutrition  is  one  of  the  most fundamental challenges facing humanity. Moreover, food sufficiency is not the last aspect of importance; food nutritional quality  is  of  critical  demand  as  well  as  the  effects  of  the accepted food portion, in particular. From this point of view, the  topic  of  the  present  review  antinutrients  raises  essential questions  about  human  health  and  contributes  to  the  understanding  of  what  people  actually  eat  and  what  the  possible resulting effects can be (Ekpo et al., 2012).

Antinutritional   factors   are   primarily   associated   with compounds or substances of natural or synthetic origin, which interfere  with  the  absorption  of  nutrients,  and  act  to  reduce nutrient  intake,  digestion,  and  utilization  and  may  produce other adverse effects. Antinutrients are frequently related to plant-based, raw or vegan diets and are naturally synthesized in plants. Some of the common symptoms exhibited by a large number of antinutrients in the body can be nausea, bloating, headaches, rashes, nutritional deficiencies, etc. On the other hand, such chemical compounds can be evidently advantageous to humankind when consumed wisely. In fact, plants, for their own defense, primarily use antinutrients.

Although people’s sensitivity to antinutrients widely differs adequate food processing is initially recommended to reduce antinutritional factors. A person cannot eliminate antinutrients once they have been introduced to the body.

Eliminating and reintroducing specific foods that contain antinutrients can clear the correlation between symptoms and effects on human health. In this regard, the biochemical effects of the anti-nutritional factors are an object of research interest. Most of the secondary metabolites, acting as anti-nutrients, elicit very harmful biological responses, while some of them are widely applied in nutrition and as pharmacologically-active agents. Heisia crinata (Atama) and Gongronema latifolium (utazi) are used by the people of Southern Nigeria for treatment of some ailments and as food. They are respectively called Editan, Atama and Utazi by the Efik and Ibibio people of Nigeria. These herbs for medicinal and nutritional purpose, and the leaves of these herbs are used to quench bacterial skin infections, gonorrhea and abdominal disturbance.

Evidently of course, little studies have been carried out on the phytochemical and nutritional properties of these herbs. However, Ebana et al., (1995) studied the nutritional and potential medicinal value of the leaves of L. africana (Bean V), and found that the plant contained tannins, unthraquinones, glycosides, reducing compounds, and the crude aqueous and alcoholic extracts of the leaves were found to inhibit a number of test microorganisms except micrococcus and Brucella orbortus. Several studies have compared the chemical composition of the leave of Azadiracta, indica, Vernonia amygdeudina and Gongronema latifolium, and concluded that a latifolium had the highest crude protein and fat contents, but lowest in fibre composition (Atangwho et al., 2009).

Several others studies have include alkaloids, Cyanogenetic glycosides, philubatannins, polyphenols saponins, anthracuinones, etc. and there are known to be present in most medical plants (Itah, 1996; Atangwho et al., 2009). In the same vein, studies have shown that, from nutritional point of view. Most plants taken as food by man have proximate ash, crude fat, protein and fibre, carbohydrate and caloric values; the plant also may have minerals such as Na, K, Ca, P, Mg, Fe and Zn in addition to undesirable components such as oxalates, phytate and hydrocyanic acid (HCN) (Okwu, 2001; Atangho et al., 2009).

1.2     Aim and Objectives of the study

This study is aimed at determining the antinutritional factors content of Heisia crinita leaves.

The objectives of this study are

To determined the antinutrient contents of Heinsia crinita leaves

To compared the result of this study with standard (lethal dose)

To make useful recommendations based on the result of this study

1.3     Scope and Limitation of the study

This study focus on the determination of antinutrient composition of Heinsia crinita leaves only. This is due to time and financial constraints.