Thesis Abstract

Abstract
The African pear (Dacryodes edulis) is a tropical fruit popularly consumed in West Africa for its nutritional and medicinal properties. This study aimed to assess the phytochemical constituents and proximate composition of African pear fruit. Various analytical methods were employed to determine the phytochemical constituents, including alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, saponins, tannins, and terpenoids. The proximate composition analysis included moisture content, ash content, crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, and carbohydrates. The results of the phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, saponins, tannins, and terpenoids in the African pear fruit extract. These phytochemicals play essential roles in the potential health benefits associated with the fruit, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. The proximate composition analysis showed that African pear fruit has a moisture content of about 65%, ash content of 1.2%, crude protein content of 2.5%, crude fat content of 10.8%, crude fiber content of 3.6%, and carbohydrate content of 16.9%. The findings of this study provide valuable information on the phytochemical constituents and proximate composition of African pear fruit, highlighting its potential health benefits and nutritional value. The presence of various phytochemicals indicates the fruit's potential as a natural source of bioactive compounds with medicinal properties. Additionally, the proximate composition analysis shows that African pear fruit is a rich source of energy, healthy fats, and fiber, making it a nutritious addition to the diet. Overall, this research contributes to the existing knowledge on the nutritional and medicinal properties of African pear fruit. Further studies could focus on exploring specific bioactive compounds present in the fruit extract and their mechanisms of action in promoting health and preventing diseases. Understanding the phytochemical composition and proximate composition of African pear fruit can guide future research on its utilization in functional foods, nutraceuticals, and pharmaceuticals. Incorporating African pear fruit into diets could offer various health benefits and contribute to promoting nutrition security in regions where the fruit is cultivated and consumed.

Thesis Overview

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Plants are important in our everyday existence. They provide our foods, produce the oxygen we breathe, and serve as raw materials for many industrial products such as clothes, foot wears and so many others. Plants also provide raw materials for our buildings and in the manufacture of biofuels, dyes, perfumes, pesticides, adsorbents and drugs.

The plant kingdom has proven to be the most useful in the treatment of diseases and they provide an important source of all the world’s pharmaceuticals. The most important of these bioactive constituents of plants are steroids, terpenoids, carotenoids, flavanoids, alkaloids, tannins and glycosides. Plants in all facet of life have served a valuable starting material for drug development (Ajibesin, 2011). Antibiotics or antimicrobial substances like saponins, glycosides, flavonoids and alkaloids etc are found to be distributed in plants, yet these compounds were not well established due to the lack of knowledge and techniques.
 
 The phytoconstituents which are phenols, anthraquinones, alkaloids, glycosides, flavonoids and saponins are antibiotic principles of plants. Plants are now occupying important position in allopathic medicine, herbal medicine, homoeopathy and aromatherapy. Medicinal plants are the sources of many important drugs of the modern world. Many of these indigenous medicinal plants are used as spices and food plants; they are also sometimes added to foods meant for pregnant mothers for medicinal purposes ( Akinpela and Onakoya, 2006). Many plants are cheaper and more accessible to most people especially in the developing countries than orthodox medicine, and there is lower incidence of adverse effects after use. These reasons might account for
their worldwide attention and use. The medicinal properties of some plants have been documented by some researchers ( Akinpelu and Onukoya, 2006). Medicinal plants are of great importance to the health of individuals and communities. It was the advent of antibiotics in the 1950s that led to the decline of the use of plant derivatives as antimicrobials (Marjorie, 1999). Medicinal plants contain physiologically active components which over the years have been exploited in the traditional medical practices for the treatment of various ailments (Ajibesin, 2011). A relatively small percentage of less than 10% of all the plants on earth is