ABSTRACT

The proximate and phytochernical composition of Tetrapleura tetraptera fruit (pod and seed) used traditionally as spice and in Africa folk medicine was detçrmined. The proximate composition percentage based in dry weight was Ash (5.153 ± 0.05 and 6.06 ± 0.05), crude fiber (38.60 ± 0.15 and 5.25 ± 0.07), percentage fat (7.86 ± 0.02 and 10.35 ± 0.012), moisture content (10.16 ± 0.21 and 12.00 ± 0.04), protein content (11.61 ± 0.10 and 13.60 ± 0.098) and percentage carbohydrate (26.62 ± 0.41 and 52.86 ± 0.123) for pod and seed respectively.Phytochemical screening showed presence of Alkaloids, Saponin, Flavonoid, Tannins .Quantitatative phytochemi cal determination showed that Tannin content of (pod and seed) were (0.24 ± 0.002 and 0.111±0.0015), Alkaloid (0.77 ± 0.0115 and 0.45 ± 0.0115) Flavonoid contains (0.37 ± 0.0 12 and 0.21 ± 0.023) and Saponin (0.23 ± 0.0 12 andO.15± 0.0 16 ), and phenol(0.38 ± 0.003 and 0.222 ± 0.00 12) respectively. There was significant difference in all values obtained at (P<0.05) level and these suggest that the concentration of the estimated were also compar&ble to most food spices, some even greater than popular food spices. These properties make the fruit recommendable as possible raw materials for food, soap, drug, and cosmetic industries.