Nutritional Assessment of Vernonia amygdalina Leaves in Growing Mice

Abstract

The elemental analyses of the leaves of Vernonia amygdalina and the laboratory experiments with mice, fed diets containing V. amygdalina leaves, their alcohol extracts, or purified saponins, were performed. Feeding 2-week-old growing mice of both sexes with the standard diets amended with 25% dry V. amygdalina leaves or equivalent amounts of alcohol extracts or crude or purified saponins for 14 days did not alter their feeding performance. However, these treatments caused significant reduction in body weight gain and increased urinary and fecal output, compared with the control group. At necropsy, the liver weights were reduced. The stomachs and small intestines were enlarged, compared to the control groups. It was concluded that care has to be taken when using the leaves for cooking soups and that saponins should be thoroughly washed out during the debittering process. Consumption of tonics containing V. amygdalina saponins may create some health hazard. © 1995, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.