Proximate and elemental composition of leaf, corm, root and peel of Hypoxis hemerocallidea: A Southern African multipurpose medicinal plant

Abstract

Hypoxis hemerocallidea also known as African potato is a medicinal plant widely distributed in Southern Africa, which has enjoyed long usage as a traditional multipurpose herbal medicine. This study evaluated the leaf, corm, peel and root of H. hemerocallidea for their nutritional attributes. Crude protein was highest in leaf (5.56%), followed by peel (2.79%), root (2.30%) and corm (1.79%) respectively. Crude fat ranged from 0.40% in root to 1.88% in leaf, while ash and acid detergent fibre (ADF) were highest in corm (16.77% and 49.75%) and lowest in root (3.20% and 5.46%) respectively. Neutral detergent fibre (NDF) was highest in leaf (55.47%), followed by corm (52.38%), peel (35.23%) and root (10.51%); while total carbohydrate calculated as non-fibre carbohydrate was highest in the root. The corm had the highest content (P<0.05) of calcium, zinc, copper and manganese, the root exhibited the highest content of magnesium, potassium and iron, while sodium and phosphorus content was highest in the leaf. The study revealed that H. hemerocallidea leaf, corm, peel and root are good sources of nutrients and minerals for humans and animals. This implies that the plant as a whole could be more effective therapeuticaly than the corm alone.