Abstract

Carica papaya (male and female) leaves and roots were collected, dried and reduced to powdered form by mechanical grinder separately. These parts were analyzed to identify the phytochemicals present as well as determine their proximate and mineral content. There is the presence of glycosides, saponins, steroids and terpenoids in both male and female leaves of the aqueous extract. Methanolic extract of the male leaves revealed the presence of glycosides, eugenols and terpenoids. The male and female leaves indicated the presence of moisture (%), (13.9/12.6), ash (5.6/3.9), protein (21.1/18.5), fibre (5.7/4.3), fat (4.7/5.0) and carbohydrate (64.5/66.5), while male and female roots indicated the presence of moisture (%), (13.0/10.6), ash (7.9/6.9), protein (10.2/12.4), fibre (6.0/6.3), fat (3.3/2.9) and carbohydrate (73.4/70.3) respectively. The mineral nutrient content had high potassium (mg.100g-1) (379.7/355.2) for male and female leaves and (354.8/ 342.9) for male and female roots. However, in calcium, the male and female leaves had 105.0 and 98.02 while the male and female roots were low (49.6 and 49.0 mg.100g-1). The functional group detected for the female leaves were observed at 3320.13cm-1 (O-H stretch) of carboxylic acid derivative, 1640.73cm-1 (C=C stretch) of unsaturated group and 1103.18 cm-1 of (C-O-C stretch) of ethers. The proximate and mineral analyses may provide both nutritive and therapeutic values to human and animals.