Antioxidant Activities, Nutritional Composition and Antinutritional Properties of Two Leafy Vegetables (Cleome rutidosperma and Cassia tora) Consumed in Adamawa State, Nigeria

Antioxidants are agents which scavenge free radicals and prevent cellular damage cause by them. They reduce the damage due to free radicals by neutralizing them before they can attack the cells. The aim of this research was to evaluate the antioxidant, nutritional and antinutritional properties of two leafy vegetables, Cleome rutidosperma and Cassia tora consumed in Adamawa State, Nigeria. 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) models were used to determine antioxidant activities of extracts. Nutritional composition and antinutritional properties were determined using standard procedures. There was a significant (p=0.05) decrease in the concentration of DPPH radical due to the scavenging activity of ethanol leaf extract of Cleome rutidosperma compared to control/standard. In FRAP also, C. rutidosperma ethanolic extract exhibited higher ferric reducing power than C. tora. Proximate analysis revealed the nutrients for C. rutidosperma and C. tora as; crude protein (31.06±0.00% and 26.24±0.00%), fat (7.13±0.00% and 6.93±0.10%), ash (15.17±0.61% and 11.60±0.00%), crude fiber (11.06±0.01 and 13.19±0.10%), moisture (9.99±0.00% and 9.12±0.10%), NFE (25.60±0.10% and 32.94±0.10%) respectively. Antinutritionals in ethanolic extracts of C. rutidosperma and C. tora were; oxalates, saponins, tannins, cyanogenic glycosides, phytate and alkaloids. Both vegetables revealed good percentages of proteins which can be used to compliment other sources of protein. All antinutrients of extracts were within tolerable levels.