Estimation of vitamins and minerals from ten selected weeds and local plants of Kelantan

Abstract

The experiments were carried out to estimate the amount of vitamins (B2, B3 and C) and minerals in ten weedy herbs and local plants of Kelantan to know the possibility of using as alternative human food source. Spectrophotometric analyses were done with the extracts of the sample plants to estimate the vitamins and minerals in the laboratory of Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, Jeli Campus. From the research, it was found that Ipomea Aquatica contained the highest amount of Riboflavin (2.144 mg/100 mg). Niacin content was found to be high in Acalypha Indica (1.805 mg/100 mg) and Diplazium Esculentum contained the highest amount of ascorbic acid (0.858 mg/100 mg). When the total vitamin contents for each weed and local plants was estimated it was found that Sesbania grandiflora contained the highest amount of vitamins compared to other plant samples. Among the selected plants for mineral estimation, Kaempferia Galanga contained the highest amount of Zinc (1.899 ppm) and Ferum (17.43 ppm). The herb Clinacanthus Nutans contained the highest amount of Calcium (498.0 ppm) and Magnesium (234.0 ppm). The highest amount of manganese (13.02 ppm) was found in Melastoma malabathricum. It is opined that I. Aquatica, A. Indica and D. Esculentum have a good potential to be used as an alternative vitamin source and K. Galangal, C. Nutans and M. Malabathricum are the good alternative source of minerals.