Nutritional and Antioxidant Potential of Monodora Myristica (african Nutmeg) Seed Extract

ABSTRACT Monodora myristica is a perennial, edible plant, widely used in many parts of the world as a spice for local delicacies and as a part of polyherbal formulations for disease management. This study was carried out to determine the Nutritional and antioxidant potential of Monodora myristica (African nutmeg) which was purchased from Rimi market kano state. The proximate Analysis was determined using the AOAC method, qualitative phytochemical screening was carried out using the standard methods of Sofowora, the antioxidant scavenging activity was carried out using spectrometry method. Results from the study revealed that concentration of moisture, crude protein, crude ash, crude fat, crude fiber and carbohydrate content were 19.60%, 13.60%, 7.80%, 16.70%, 15.35%, and 26.83% respectively. The vitamin analysis showed significant level of vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin E which were 486.80ug/ml, 181.16ug/ml and 316.94ug/ml respectively. Reult of qualitative phytochemical screening shows the present of saponins, phenols, alkaloids and terpenoids, the African nutmeg has no tannins and flavonoids as secondary metabolites. Antioxidant assays demonstrated significant free radical scavenging activity, with IC50 values of 188.20µg/ml for DPPH scavenging against ascorbic acid as control with IC50 value of 217.04µg/ml and a dose-dependent nitric oxide inhibition with an IC50 value of 0.35µg/ml. These findings suggest that Monodora myristica is nutritionally rich and possesses strong antioxidant properties, supporting its potential use as a natural ingredient in food and medicinal applications.