Quantitative Analysis of Nutrients in the Gum Exudates of Acacia nilotica
Rukshana Irani, Kazi Layla Khaled
Abstract
Acacia nilotica is an evergreen tree found throughout Indiaand it belongs to the leguminosae family. The gum of this tree has been used in some parts of the country for its salutary therapeutic benefits. The gum was obtained from Acacia nilotica trees of West Bengal, India and was investigated for macronutrients and micro nutrients. The results of the present study showed that some essential minerals like calcium, iron, sodium, potassium, phosphorus were present in significant quantities which were 366. 37, 25.41, 11.91, 124.87, 2.96 mg per 100 gram of pulverised gum respectively. The quantity of minerals like chromium, zinc, selenium, copper, magnesium, manganese was 0.67, 10.28, 0.54, 0.66, 22.61, 5.73 mg/kg gum respectively. It was found to be an energy dense gum containing 87.05 per cent of carbohydrate with substantially low fat, protein and vitamin content. The outcome of proximate analysis and high mineral content may account for the wide spectrum of medicinal and pharmaceutical properties of gum of Acacia nilotica which has been claimed in the pertinent literature.