Abstract

Nutritional Value and Elemental Analysis of Katphala (Myrica esculentaBuch-Ham)

Author(s): Atul Kabra* & Uttam Singh Baghel

Myrica esculenta(Family: Myricaceae) commonly known as Kaiphala or Katphala is a widely used medicinal plant in Ayurveda. Traditionally its leaves are used in the treatment of fever, catarrh of mucous mem-brane, asthma, diarrhoea and bronchitis, its paste is applied to cuts and wounds. In spite of its numerous medicinal attributes, no published work is available till date on nutritional values and elemental analysis of leaves.The nutri-ent and antinutrient compositions of the leaves were investigated and compare the evaluated data with reported nutritional parameters of fruit. The result of proximate analysis shows that Myrica fruit had higher moisture con-tent, crude lipids and carbohydrate contents values of 72.33±0.23, 4.93±0.06 %and 78.03±0.14 % while those of the leaves had 3.54±0.11 %, 1.38±0.54 % and 46.19±0.21 %. The total ash, crude fibre and crude protein contents in the leaves were higher values of 8.3±0.28 %, 22.45±0.17 % and 10.55±0.22 % while thefruit had 2.18±0.02 %, 5.22±0.08 % and 9.62±0.03 %. The antinutrient parameters evaluated in the leaves were phytic acid (2.46±0.16) %, saponin content (1.76±0.25 %), alkaloidal contents (0.28±0.06) and oxalate content (0.27 ± 0.10) %. The predominant miner-alelements in the leaf powder according to ICP-MS were Ca (42.59 mg/100g), Mg (14.82 mg/100g), and Na (12.41 mg/100g). Lead and arsenic contents were not detected in the leaves and fruits of Myrica. Hence the outcome of this study revealed that M. esculentaleaves could be a valuable nutraceutical supplement and a cheapest source of essen-tial nutrients to the human diet.

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