Proximate, Mineral and Vitamin Composition of Locally Grown Carica papaya Leaf Extract

Background and Objective: Carica papaya, a widely utilized medicinal plant in Nigeria, has been traditionally used to treat conditions such as fever, asthma and colic. This study investigated the vitamin, mineral and proximate composition of Carica papaya leaves cultivated in Uyo, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: Fresh Carica papaya leaves were collected, authenticated, dried and extracted with ethanol. Proximate and mineral analyses were conducted using the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) and the American Public Health Association (APHA), respectively. Vitamins A, B1, B2 and C were quantified using specific extraction and UV spectrophotometric techniques. Results were presented as Mean±Standard error of the mean (SEM) based on triplicate determinations (n = 3). Statistical significance was set at p≤0.05. Data management and statistical analyses were conducted using Microsoft Excel. Results: Mineral analysis indicated the leaves contained potassium (6.423 mg/kg), sodium (0.914 mg/kg), calcium (15.225 mg/kg), magnesium (6.613 mg/kg), manganese (3.816 mg/kg), zinc (14.582 mg/kg), iron (89.103 mg/kg), copper (12.306 mg/kg) and phosphorus (0.334 mg/kg). Proximate composition results showed moisture (53.05%), ash (3.17%), fiber (3.80%), crude lipid (2.41%), crude protein (7.18%) and carbohydrate (30.27%). The vitamin content was as follows: Vitamin B1 (3.117 mg/100 g), vitamin B2 (3.290 mg/100 g), vitamin C (0.00773 mg/100 g) and vitamin A (0.00369 mg/100 g). Conclusion: This study demonstrated that Carica papaya leaves were rich in essential vitamins and minerals, making them a promising nutritional resource. These findings contributed valuable insights into the nutritional profile of locally grown Carica papaya leaves, highlighting their potential role in supporting health and preventing nutritional deficiencies.