ANTIOXIDANT AND NUTRITIVE VALUE OF MISTLETOE (Viscum Album)

Abstract

Mistletoe (Viscum album L. subsp. album) is known as an obligatory hemiparasite of trees and is consumed by herbivores in some places, especially during periods of forage shortage and drought. This experiment was conducted to determine nutrient composition and nutritive value of mistletoe with respect to its fertility enhancing potential. Mistletoe samples were collected from the wild orange tree in the thick forest of Egbeda, Lagos, Nigeria. In this study, Mistletoe was analyzed for its antioxidant and mineral content using spectrophotometric methods. The results revealed; Mean total antioxidant capacity was 81.77mg/g Ascobic acid equivalence, Mean total Phenolic content was 55.04mg/g Garlic equivalence Mean total Flavonoid is 68.985mg/g Rutin equivalence. % Inhibition DPPH Scavenging activity at 25ug/ml, 50ug/ml, 75ug/ml, 100ug/ml, concentrations were 50.21%, 56.09%,61.18% and 70.23% respectively. Also, the Reducing Power Ability recorded were 0.282ug/ml, 0.335ug/ml, 0.529ug/ml, 0.663ug/ml. A very high level of magnesium (240.8mg/100g), potassium (122.4mg/100g), moderate levels of calcium (55.2mg/100g), sodium (42.2mg/100g), and a fair amount of iron (16.4mg/100g). The proximate analysis for percentage Moisture, Ash, Fat, Protein, Crude fibre and carbohydrate, were 22.3, 5.785, 3.26, 5.475, 17.42, 47.54 respectively. Also the phytochemical screening shows the presence of alkaloids, tannins, saponinns, steroids, flavonoids, phenols, and lectins.Currently Viscum album has shown promising results in its use as a fertility enhancing plant, the above shows that it is of high nutritive value of health importance.