Proximate and mineral composition of Pentadiplandra Brazzeana Stem Bark

Plants are the cheapest and indispensable constituents of human diets supplying the body nutrients (carbohydrates, protein, fats, amino acids, vitamins) necessary for growth and body development. Therefore, this work was designed to examine the proximate and mineral composition of Pentadiplandra brazzeana stem bark (PBSB). Proximate composition of PBSB revealed the presence of 8.75 % moisture, 91.25 % dry matter, 6.43 % crude protein, 41.03 % crude fibre, 5.70 % ether extract, 12.11 % ash, 17.82 (g/100 g) carbohydrates, 0.47 % total reducing sugar and 632.2 Kj/100g energy respectively. Results on mineral analysis shows that PSSB is abundant in calcium (73.84 mg/100g) followed by phosphorus (41.55 mg/100g), magnesium (32.56 mg/100g), sodium (28.11 mg/100g), zinc (17.56 mg/100g), manganese (10.88 mg/100g), potassium (9.47 mg/100g) and copper (2.33 mg/100g). In order of mineral abundance in PBSB Ca ˃ phosphorus ˃ magnesium ˃ sodium ˃ zinc ˃ manganese ˃ potassium ˃ copper. It was concluded that PBSB is low in protein, energy and some minerals (copper and potassium).