Proximate Composition and Nutritional Values of Selected Wild Plants of the United Arab Emirates
Wild plants supply food and shelter to several organisms; they also act as important sources of many nutrients and pharmaceutical agents for mankind. These plants are widely used in traditional medicinal systems and folk medicines. The present study analyzed the nutritional and proximate composition...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-02-01
|
| Series: | Molecules |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/28/3/1504 |
| _version_ | 1797623670829481984 |
|---|---|
| author | Mohammad Shahid Rakesh Kumar Singh Sumitha Thushar |
| author_facet | Mohammad Shahid Rakesh Kumar Singh Sumitha Thushar |
| author_sort | Mohammad Shahid |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Wild plants supply food and shelter to several organisms; they also act as important sources of many nutrients and pharmaceutical agents for mankind. These plants are widely used in traditional medicinal systems and folk medicines. The present study analyzed the nutritional and proximate composition of various compounds in selected wild plants available in the UAE, viz., <i>Chenopodium murale</i> L., <i>Dipterygium glaucum</i> Decne., <i>Heliotropium digynum</i> Asch. ex C.Chr., <i>Heliotropium kotschyi</i> Gürke., <i>Salsola imbricata</i> Forssk., <i>Tribulus pentandrus</i> Forssk., <i>Zygophyllum qatarense</i> Hadidi. The predominant amino acids detected in the plants were glycine, threonine, histidine, cysteine, proline, serine, and tyrosine; the highest quantities were observed in <i>H. digynum</i> and <i>T. pentandrus</i>. The major fatty acids present were long-chain saturated fatty acids; however, lauric acid was only present in <i>S</i>. <i>imbricata</i>. The presence of essential fatty acids such as oleic acid, α-Linoleic acid, and linolenic acid was observed in <i>H. digynum</i>, <i>S. imbricata</i>, and <i>H. kotschyi</i>. These plants also exhibited higher content of nutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, fats, ash, and fiber. The predominant vitamins in the plants were vitamin B complex and vitamin C. <i>C. murale</i> had higher vitamin A, whereas vitamin B complex was seen in <i>T. pentandrus</i> and <i>D. glaucum</i>. The phosphorus and zinc content were high in <i>T. pentandrus</i>; the nitrogen, calcium, and potassium contents were high in <i>H. digynum</i>, and <i>D. glaucum</i>. Overall, these plants, especially <i>H. digynum</i> and <i>T. pentandrus</i> contain high amounts of nutritionally active compounds and important antioxidants including trace elements and vitamins. The results from the experiment provide an understanding of the nutritional composition of these desert plant species and can be better utilized as important agents for pharmacological drug discovery, food, and sustainable livestock production in the desert ecosystem. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T09:32:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-314ff340df2f4703b0dbcad022f658cf |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1420-3049 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T09:32:07Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Molecules |
| spelling | doaj.art-314ff340df2f4703b0dbcad022f658cf2023-11-16T17:33:27ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492023-02-01283150410.3390/molecules28031504Proximate Composition and Nutritional Values of Selected Wild Plants of the United Arab EmiratesMohammad Shahid0Rakesh Kumar Singh1Sumitha Thushar2Division of Crop Diversification, International Center for Biosaline Agriculture, Dubai P.O. Box 14660, United Arab EmiratesDivision of Crop Diversification, International Center for Biosaline Agriculture, Dubai P.O. Box 14660, United Arab EmiratesDivision of Crop Diversification, International Center for Biosaline Agriculture, Dubai P.O. Box 14660, United Arab EmiratesWild plants supply food and shelter to several organisms; they also act as important sources of many nutrients and pharmaceutical agents for mankind. These plants are widely used in traditional medicinal systems and folk medicines. The present study analyzed the nutritional and proximate composition of various compounds in selected wild plants available in the UAE, viz., <i>Chenopodium murale</i> L., <i>Dipterygium glaucum</i> Decne., <i>Heliotropium digynum</i> Asch. ex C.Chr., <i>Heliotropium kotschyi</i> Gürke., <i>Salsola imbricata</i> Forssk., <i>Tribulus pentandrus</i> Forssk., <i>Zygophyllum qatarense</i> Hadidi. The predominant amino acids detected in the plants were glycine, threonine, histidine, cysteine, proline, serine, and tyrosine; the highest quantities were observed in <i>H. digynum</i> and <i>T. pentandrus</i>. The major fatty acids present were long-chain saturated fatty acids; however, lauric acid was only present in <i>S</i>. <i>imbricata</i>. The presence of essential fatty acids such as oleic acid, α-Linoleic acid, and linolenic acid was observed in <i>H. digynum</i>, <i>S. imbricata</i>, and <i>H. kotschyi</i>. These plants also exhibited higher content of nutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, fats, ash, and fiber. The predominant vitamins in the plants were vitamin B complex and vitamin C. <i>C. murale</i> had higher vitamin A, whereas vitamin B complex was seen in <i>T. pentandrus</i> and <i>D. glaucum</i>. The phosphorus and zinc content were high in <i>T. pentandrus</i>; the nitrogen, calcium, and potassium contents were high in <i>H. digynum</i>, and <i>D. glaucum</i>. Overall, these plants, especially <i>H. digynum</i> and <i>T. pentandrus</i> contain high amounts of nutritionally active compounds and important antioxidants including trace elements and vitamins. The results from the experiment provide an understanding of the nutritional composition of these desert plant species and can be better utilized as important agents for pharmacological drug discovery, food, and sustainable livestock production in the desert ecosystem.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/28/3/1504wild plantsamino acid contentfatty acid profilemineral contentvitamin composition |
| spellingShingle | Mohammad Shahid Rakesh Kumar Singh Sumitha Thushar Proximate Composition and Nutritional Values of Selected Wild Plants of the United Arab Emirates Molecules wild plants amino acid content fatty acid profile mineral content vitamin composition |
| title | Proximate Composition and Nutritional Values of Selected Wild Plants of the United Arab Emirates |
| title_full | Proximate Composition and Nutritional Values of Selected Wild Plants of the United Arab Emirates |
| title_fullStr | Proximate Composition and Nutritional Values of Selected Wild Plants of the United Arab Emirates |
| title_full_unstemmed | Proximate Composition and Nutritional Values of Selected Wild Plants of the United Arab Emirates |
| title_short | Proximate Composition and Nutritional Values of Selected Wild Plants of the United Arab Emirates |
| title_sort | proximate composition and nutritional values of selected wild plants of the united arab emirates |
| topic | wild plants amino acid content fatty acid profile mineral content vitamin composition |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/28/3/1504 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mohammadshahid proximatecompositionandnutritionalvaluesofselectedwildplantsoftheunitedarabemirates AT rakeshkumarsingh proximatecompositionandnutritionalvaluesofselectedwildplantsoftheunitedarabemirates AT sumithathushar proximatecompositionandnutritionalvaluesofselectedwildplantsoftheunitedarabemirates |