Int. J. Agron. Agri. R.

International Journal of Agronomy and Agricultural Research (IJAAR)

ISSN: 2223-7054 (Print) 2225-3610 (Online)
http://www.innspub.net
Vol. 14, No. 6, p. 8-15, 2019
RESEARCH PAPER OPEN ACCESS

Nutritional potential of three lesser-consumed wild leafy

vegetables of the North-West region of Cameroon
Solange Bih Achou1, Quentin Metsatedem Tongwa2, Alex Dimitri Tchuenchieu2,
Noela Etame Ekaney Ntube1, Solange Atud Enjei1, Romelle Feumba Dibanda*2,
Gabriel Medoua Nama2, Agatha Tanya1

Department of Food Science and Nutrition, College of Technology, University of Bamenda, Cameroon
1

2
Food and Nutrition Research Centre, Institute of Medical Research and Medicinal Plants Studies,
Yaounde, Cameroon

Article published on June 30, 2019

Key words: Lesser-consumed wild leafy vegetables, Macronutrients, Vitamins, Minerals, Anti-nutrients.

Abstract

The rate of malnutrition stands at 39% in the North West Region of Cameroon. One way of tackling this problem
is by promoting the consumption of indigenous wild vegetables. In this study, the nutritional potential of three
lesser-consumed wild leafy vegetables (Xymalos monospora, Mentha longifolia and Amaranthus sp.) available
throughout the year in the North West Region of Cameroon was investigated using standard methods of analysis.
The results showed that Xymalos monospora, Mentha longifolia and Amaranthus sp. were appreciable sources
of macronutrients like proteins (12.23 ± 0.82, 10.34 ± 0.31 and 7.81 ± 0.01% dw respectively), lipids (13.32 ±
0.87, 14.67 ± 0.75, 14.16 ± 1.44% dw respectively), and carbohydrates (17.73 ± 0.01, 27.05 ± 3.90, 20.13 ± 1.59%
dw respectively). They contained also Vitamin C and exhibited provitamin A activities. The mineral contents in
Xymalos monospora, Mentha longifolia and Amaranthus sp. revealed appreciable levels of iron (12.81 ± 1.38,
80.34 ± 1.62 and 55.76 ± 2.74 mg/100gdw), of zinc (4.21 ± 0.23, 8.23 ± 0.08 and 11.57 ± 0.31mg/100gdw), of
copper (20.41 ± 1.46, 11.78 ± 1.21 and 15.62 ± 2.88 mg/100gdw) and of sodium (3.05 ± 0.16, 5.52 ± 0.37 and 8.11
± 0.10 mg/100gdw). The levels of anti-nutrients namely tannins, oxalates, hydrogen cyanides and phytates were
far below the toxic levels. Xymalos monospora, Mentha longifolia and Amaranthus sp., these lesser-known and
hence lesser-consumed wild leafy vegetables have a good nutritional potential and their consumption should be
greatly encouraged to fight against malnutrition.
* Corresponding Author: Romelle Feumba Dibanda  [email protected]

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Introduction were selected based on the fact that they were

Micronutrient malnutrition affects more than half of unfamiliar to many and their consumption was
the world’s population, particularly in developing limited to particular tribes. These three lesser-
countries (WHO, 2009). Millions of people in Sub- consumed wild leafy vegetables were collected from
Saharan Africa are threatened by hunger and fields and farm lands of the North West Region
malnutrition and about 265 million of them are following a random sampling.
undernourished. In Cameroon, the prevalence of
vitamin A deficiency and anemia in children below five
years of age is 39% and 68% respectively, indicating
poor health care and malnutrition (WHO, 2009).

There are about 800 to 1000 species of edible leafy

vegetables in Sub-Saharan Africa but only a little
percentage is utilized as food meanwhile, African
indigenous vegetables are very significant in the food
security of underprivileged persons and are valuable
sources of energy and micronutrients in the diets of
isolated communities (Grivetti and Ogle, 2000).
Edible wild vegetables exert great nutritional
importance during periods of drought, social unrest Mentha longifolia
or war. They are cheap and are mostly gathered from
cultivated fields, fallowed lands and the veldt (Venter
et al., 2007). In the North West Region of Cameroon,
the rates of malnutrition, stunting and wasting stood
at 39, 31 and 8% respectively (Demographic and
Health Survey, 2004).There are many wild vegetables
in the North West Region of Cameroon, which are
available during the dry season when many
domesticated varieties are scarce and very expensive.
These vegetables could provide alternative yet
cheaper sources of nutrients (Venter et al., 2007).
However, there is a need to provide scientific Xymalos monospora

information on their nutritional value.

Materials and methods

Survey
The study was conducted in four divisions of the
North West Region: Boyo, Bui, Mezam
and Momo and two villages were randomly chosen
per division. These villages included Anjih of Belo and
Mbungongo of Njinikom (Boyo), Kiyan and
Wainamah (Bui), Agyati of Bafut and Ntinkah of
Mankon (Mezam) and Guzang and Bessi of Batibo
(Momo). Two hundred questionnaires (50 per Amaranthus sp.
division) were administered. From this survey three Photograph 1. Lesser-consumed wild leafy
lesser-consumed wild leafy vegetables (photograph 1) vegetables of the North West Region of Cameroon.

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Samples preparation Evaluation of anti-nutrients

Young shoots and fresh leaves of each vegetable were Total Phenolics content were assessed using Folin-
collected at maturity early in the morning from surveyed Ciocalteau reagent as described by Dewantoo et al.,
veldts and farm lands. They were sorted out, washed (2002). Tannins content was determined by the
with clean water, left to drain for 7-10min, dried at 45°C vanillin-HCl method of Bainbridge et al., (1996).
for 24h, ground and sieved through a 500µm sieve
before being stored in plastic containers for analyses. Phytates content was evaluated using Wade solution
as described by Gao et al., (2007). Oxalates content
Evaluation of proximate composition and Energy was determined after titration with potassium
value
permanganate and hydrogen cyanide content
Moisture content was determined after oven drying to a
assessed after titration with silver nitrate as
constant weight at 105°C. Ash, lipids and crude fibers
respectively described by Day and Underwood (1986)
were analyzed according to AOAC (2000). Meanwhile
and AOAC (1997).
proteins and carbohydrates content were determined
respectively as described by Devani et al., (1989) and by
Statistical analyses
Fischer and Stein (1961). The total Energy value of the
The results presented in mean ± standard deviation of
lesser-consumed wild leafy vegetables was calculated
triplicate analyses were subjected to a Least
according to Iniobong and Uduak (2015).
Significant Difference test (p <0.05) using
Statgraphics Centurion 16.1
Evaluation of vitamin C, carotenoids and provitamin
A activity
Vitamin C content was evaluated using 2, 6- Results
dichloroindophenol as described by AOAC (2005). Proximate composition of the lesser-consumed wild
Carotenoids were determined after double extraction leafy vegetables
in a mixture of 50% hexane, 25% acetone, 25% The proximate composition of the three lesser-
ethanol according to the procedure described by consumed wild leafy vegetables under study is
Lemmens et al. (2010). After partitioning, the organic presented in table 1. The ash content revealing the
layers were combined and read at specific maximum minerals concentration of the vegetables varied within
absorption wavelengths corresponding to different all the samples, with Amaranthus sp. having the
carotenoids (444nm for α-carotene, 445nm for lutein, highest value and Xymalos monospora the least value.
450nm for β-carotene, 451 nm for β-cryptoxanthin,
and 472 nm for lutein). The lipid contents were found to be higher in Mentha
longifolia and Amaranthus sp. than in Xymalos
Provitamin A activity expressed as retinol activity
monospora.
equivalence (RAE) was calculated using the formula
described by Nuray and Feryal (2011).
The carbohydrates which are the primary source of
RAE (mg %dw)
energy in the body were not significantly different (P >
β carotene content
= 0.05) in Xymalos monospora and Amaranthus sp. but
12
α carotene content + β cryptoxanthin content lower than that of Mentha longifolia. Xymalos
+
24 monospora registered the highest protein unlike

Evaluation of minerals Amaranthus sp. which registered the least.

The procedure described by Antia et al., (2006) was

employed. After digestion of the samples with Mentha longifolia provided higher energy, followed by

concentrated nitric acid, the absorbance was read Xymalos monospora and Amaranthus sp. which
using atomic absorption spectrometry. exhibited similar energy values.

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 Int. J. Agron. Agri. R.

Evaluation of vitamin C, carotenoids contents and >0.05) between the vitamin C contents of Xymalos
provitamin A activity monospora and Mentha longifolia and between the
The vitamins potential of the three lesser-consumed carotenoid contents of all the vegetables. Xymalos
wild leafy vegetables under study is presented on monospora and Mentha longifolia had the highest
table 2. There were no significant differences (P Vitamin C content compared to Amaranthus sp.

Table 1. Proximate composition (% dw) and energy value (kcal/100gdw) of three lesser-consumed wild leafy
vegetables.
Parameter Xymalos monospora Mentha longifolia Amaranthus sp.
Ash 9.86 ± 0.09a 12.70 ± 0.42b 16.30 ± 1.43c
Lipids 13.32 ± 0.87a 14.67 ± 0.75b 14.16 ± 1.44b
Fibres 22.56 ± 1.15a 5.29 ± 0.96b 1.94 ± 0.73c
Carbohydrates 17.73 ± 0.01a 27.05 ± 3.90b 20.13 ± 1.59a
Proteins 12.23 ± 0.82a 10.34 ± 0.31b 7.81 ± 0.01c
Energy 239.75 ± 8.59a 284.65 ± 17.10b 238.08 ± 2.32a
Values expressed are mean ± standard deviation. Values within the same row with different letters are
significantly different at p < 0.05.

Table 2. Vitamin C, carotenoids contents and provitamin A activity (mg/100gdw) of three lesser-consumed wild
leafy vegetables.
Parameter Xymalos monospora Mentha longifolia Amaranthus sp.
Vitamin C 31.44 ± 0.78a 31.75 ± 0.24a 28.36 ± 0.44b
β-carotene 0.33 ± 0.01a 0.37 ± 0.05a 0.35 ± 0.09a
β- cryptoxanthin 0.37 ± 0.01a 0.37 ± 0.04a 0.45 ± 0.01a
α- carotene 0.30 ± 0.01a 0.26 ± 0.04a 0.26 ± 0.07a
Lycopene 0.25 ± 0.01a 0.27 ± 0.04a 0.24 ± 0.04a
Lutein 0.31 ± 0.05a 0.37 ± 0.02a 0.39 ± 0.03a
Total carotenoids 1.55 ± 0.01a 1.72 ± 0.2 a 1.80 ± 0.8a
Provitamin A carotenoids 0.99 ± 0.03a 1.08 ± 0.14a 1.16 ± 0.12a
RAE 0.06 ± 0.01a 0.06 ± 0.01a 0.06 ± 0.01a
Values expressed are mean ± standard deviation. Values within the same row with different letters are
significantly different at p < 0.05.

Table 3. Mineral contents (mg/100gdw) of three lesser-consumed wild leafy vegetables.

Minerals Xymalos monospora Mentha longifolia Amaranthus sp.
Iron 12.81 ± 1.38a 80.34 ± 1.62b 55.76 ± 2.74c
Zinc 4.21 ± 0.23 a 8.23 ± 0.08 b 11.57 ± 0.31c
Copper 20.41 ± 1.46a 11.78 ± 1.21b 15.62 ± 2.88c
Sodium 3.05 ± 0.16a 5.52 ± 0.37b 8.11 ± 0.10c
Values expressed are mean ± standard deviation. Values within the same row with different letters are
significantly different at p < 0.05.

The highest iron content was recorded in Mentha Evaluation of anti-nutrients content
longifolia. This was followed by Amaranthus sp. Anti-nutrients in food include phenolic compounds,
while Xymalos monospora had the lowest iron tannins, phytates, oxalates and hydrogen cyanides.
content. Zinc content was higher in Amaranthus sp. Most of them chelate minerals rendering them
while the lowest value was recorded in Xymalos unavailable to animals. The anti-nutrient contents of
monospora. Copper values of the lesser-consumed the three lesser-consumed wild leafy vegetables
wild leafy vegetables varied with the highest being in analyzed are shown in table 4. The anti-nutrient
Xymalos monospora and the lowest being in Mentha contents of the lesser-consumed wild leafy vegetables
longifolia. Amaranthus sp. had the highest sodium were significantly different (P<0.05) within the
content followed by Mentha longifolia and then species except for the oxalate contents of Xymalos
Xymalos monospora. monospora and that of Mentha longifolia and the

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hydrogen cyanide contents of all the vegetables which Amaranthus sp. registered the highest phytate
were similar (P>0.05). The results showed that content while Mentha longifolia registered the
highest total phenolics content was recorded in lowest. Xymalos monospora and Mentha longifolia
Mentha longifolia while Amaranthus sp. recorded recorded similar oxalate contents while lowest oxalate
the least. Highest tannin value was recorded in values were recorded in Amaranthus sp. Hydrogen
Xymalos monospora while lowest tannin and oxalate cyanide contents were similar in the three lesser-
values were recorded in Mentha longifolia. consumed wild leafy vegetables under study.

Table 4. Anti-nutrient contents (g/ 100gdw) of three lesser-consumed wild leafy vegetables
Anti-nutrients Xymalos monospora Mentha longifolia Amaranthus sp.
Total phenolics 1.81 ± 0.06a 2.42 ± 0.03b 1.67 ± 0.01c
Tannins 0.72 ± 0.02 a 0.23 ± 0.02 b 0.35 ± 0.03c
Phytates 0.34 ± 0.01a 0.14 ± 0.03b 1.89 ± 0.03c
Oxalates 0.77 ± 0.04a 0.77 ± 0.02a 0.69 ± 0.02b
Hydrogen cyanide 0.08 ± 0.01a 0.08 ± 0.01a 0.08 ± 0.01a
Values expressed are mean ± standard deviation. Values within the same row with different letters are
significantly different at p < 0.05.

Discussion values within the range when compared to 267.66 and

The ash contents of these lesser-consumed wild leafy 293.66 kcal/100g obtained from some indigenous
vegetables concurred with the range of values 9.01, vegetables namely Brassica juncea and Moringa
9.56, 13.01 and 15.55% reported for bush-buck, oleifera (Saha et al., 2015).
Vernonia amygdalina, scent leaf and Amaranthus
hybridus (Asaolu et al., 2012). In the same line, the Vitamin C enhances iron absorption (Bakare et al.,
lipid values of these vegetables agreed favorably with 2010). The vitamin C contents of the vegetables
14.02g/ 100g reported for Amaranthus hibridus by analyzed were lower than those of some indigenous
Asaolu et al., (2012). Fibres add bulk to food thereby green leafy vegetables commonly consumed in the
preventing constipation as well as reduce the risk of North West Region of Cameroon; 277.80mg/100g for
colon cancer (Pillai and Nair, 2013). The fibre Telfaria occidentalis (Otitoju et al., 2014) and 62.97
concentration of Amaranthus sp. was in line with the mg/100g for Solanum nigrum (Agiang et al., 2017).
fibre contents of 1.7 and 1.6% respectively reported Carotenoids prevent cancer and cardiovascular
for Amaranthus hybridus and Telfaria occidentalis diseases (Stahl and Sies, 2005). In the body, some
by Adeyeye and Folasade (2011). Meanwhile, that of can be converted into vitamin A which plays a vital
Xymalos monospora was similar to 23.08% reported role in vision, cell division and differentiation
by Afolayan and Jimoh (2009) for Solanum nigrum. (Ramadhan and Ian, 2012). The three leafy
The carbohydrates contents of the three vegetables vegetables under study exhibited similar levels of
under study were higher than those reported by total carotenoids, provitamin A carotenoid and
Ajiboye et al. (2014) for Hisbiscus esculenta activity. Amaranths have been noted to be good
(10.6g/100g) and Solanum macrocarpon (6.4g/100g) vegetable sources of provitamin A carotenoids (FAO,
but lower than that of Vernonia amygdalina 2001). The α-carotene and β-cryptoxanthin levels of
(48.2g/100g). Their protein contents were higher the wild leafy vegetables in this study were
than the range of 4.2 to 6.0g/100gdw reported for respectively similar to those of Cucurbita maxima,
other indigenous leafy vegetables but lower than Hibiscus cannabinus, Moringa oleifera and
those of Amaranthus hybridus and Telfairia Solanum nigrum while their β -carotene, lutein and
occidentalis (34.8 and 35.4g/100g respectively) total carotenoid contents respectively were lower
observed by Adeyeye and Folasade (2011). These than the levels obtained for the same indigenous
three lesser-consumed vegetables possessed energy leafy vegetables (Djuikwo et al., 2011).

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 Int. J. Agron. Agri. R.

The mineral contents of the wild leafy vegetables 1400mg for mixed diets (Golden, 2009), while toxic
evaluated were higher than those of some wild leafy levels have been established at 6% (Sobowale et al.,
vegetables of the Southwest Region of Cameroon; 2011). The phytate levels obtained in this study were
Amaranthus dubius (0.06; 0.69 and 0.26mg/100g), below the established toxic levels. Oxalates chelate
Gnetum africanum (0.75; 0.02 and 0.71mg/100g) calcium, iron and magnesium thereby rendering these
and Vernonia amygdalina (0.17; 0.05 and minerals unavailable to animals. Intake levels of
0.80mg/100g) for copper, iron and zinc respectively oxalates in foods is limited to 50-60mg per day
(Mih et al., 2017). They were also higher than that of (Massey et al., 2001) and toxic levels stand at 25%
the exotic vegetable cabbage (0.05mg/100g for (Oke, 1996). Oxalate levels in this study were below
copper, 2.15mg/100g for iron and 2.11mg/100g for the established 25% toxic level. Hydrogen cyanide has
zinc) as reported by Ogbede et al., (2015). Minerals been implicated in cerebral damage and lethargy in
contained in these vegetables could be of great man. Hydrogen cyanide contents in all the lesser-
interest for health. In fact, Mentha longifolia consumed wild leafy vegetables were similar and very
contributed more to the RDA of iron (803.4-535.6%) lower than the safety limit of 350mg/100g reported
unlike Xymalos monospora which contributed less by Anhwange et al., (2009).
(128.1-85.4%). Meanwhile, Amaranthus sp. made
higher contributions to the RDA of zinc and sodium Conclusion
(96.42-60.89 and 1.62% respectively) unlike Xymalos Xymalos monospora, Mentha longifolia and
monospora which made most contribution to the Amaranthus sp. are wild leafy vegetables available
RDA of copper (1360.67-680.33%). Nevertheless, the throughout the year in the North West Region of
contributions made by the mineral elements in the Cameroon. These lesser-known and therefore lesser-
vegetables under study to RDA were more than those consumed vegetables exhibit appreciable levels of
reported for Telfairia occidentalis (104-156, 29-46 macronutrients, energy, vitamins, minerals and very
and 57-115% for iron, zinc and copper respectively), low levels of anti-nutrients. Therefore, their
but that of sodium was lower (Idris, 2011). consumption should be greatly encouraged in the
fight against hunger and malnutrition.
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