Comparative physicochemical analysis of seeds of selected medicinal plants used in traditional medicine

Abstract

Medicinal plants are the sources of many important drugs in the world’s pharmaceuticals. The present study attempts to evaluate the proximate estimation of physicochemical properties of seeds of Syzygium cumini L. Skeels, Brassica alba L. Rabenh, Trigonella foenum-graecum L. and Nigella sativa L. Proximate nutrient and total caloric content of the seeds were estimated according to the standard protocols recommended by the Association of Analytical Chemists (AOAC) and bomb calorimeter method respectively. The pH in 1% w/v (1g; 100 ml) of water-soluble portions of seed powder and essential chemical elements were determined by the standard simple glass electrode pH meter and flame photometric method respectively. According to the results, the highest and the lowest ash contents were found in Syzygium sp. (16.19%) and Nigella sp. (3.86%) respectively.