Nutritional and phytochemical components and in vitro antioxidant capacity of raw Arachis hypogaea seeds

Abstract

This study examined the nutritional and phytochemical constituents as well as the in vitro antioxidant capacity of the raw form of Arachis hypogaea seeds.Qualitative and quantitative analyses of phytochemical components of the ethanolic extracts of Arachis hypogeae seeds were carried out using standard procedures. Proximate analyses of Arachis hypogaea seed powder was also carried out using standard analytical methods.Phytochemical analyses revealed the presence of tannins, saponins, flavonoids, alkaloids and coumarins. The total tannin, phenol, proanthocyanidin and flavonoid content of the seeds were 35.38±0.58mg TAE/g, 28.37±0.69 mgGAE/g, 993.00±23.09 mgAAE/g and 17.00±0.47 mgQE/g extract respectively. Proximate analysis of Arachis hypogaea seeds showed that it contained 5.43% moisture, 2.38% ash, 26.26% protein, 46.58% fat, 6.72% fiber and 12.63% carbohydrate. In vitro antioxidant capacity studies revealed that peanut extract had a better DPPH scavenging capacity relative to standard vitamin C as evidenced by its lower IC50 value of 3.04±0.11 µg mL-1 as against 8.01±0.42 µg mL-1 obtained for vitamin C.