Evaluation of Constituents and Physicochemical Properties of Malaysian Underutilized Ziziphus mauritiana (Bidara) for Nutraceutical Potential

Abstract

Ziziphus mauritiana: plant also known as Bidara in Malaysia is well-known since ancient for their usage especially in Islamic traditional medicine due to health beneficial effect. However, the nutraceutical potential of this plant remains unrevealed scientifically. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to analyse the proximate composition and to read characteristic like pH, titratable acid (TA) and total soluble solids (TSS) of Z. mauritiana fruit, leaves and seed. Based on the proximate analysis, the highest percentage of ash (9.06%) and crude protein (14.59%) were found in the leaves. Moisture content (88.32%) was the highest in fruit, while the crude fiber (48.12%), fat (1.89%), carbohydrate (63.24%) and calorific value (411.61 kJ) were the highest in the seed. Physicochemical characteristic of Z. mauritiana has shown that the fruit possess the higher value of 11.70°Brix TSS and 0.32% TA than the leaves with 0.97°Brix TSS and 0.09% TA. While the pH of the leaves and fruit are 5.47 and 4.77 respectively. Interestingly, Z. mauritiana plant can be an excellent source of carbohydrate, protein and its fiber. This study suggested that leaves, fruit and seed of Z. mauritiana can find potential applications in food and pharmaceutical product as nutraceutical ingredients.