Proximate and Mineral Compositions of the Stem and Leaf of Cnidoscolus aconitifolius

Cnidosculus aconitofilius in the family Euphorbiaceae, is one of the most productive green vegetables in both south western and south eastern of the Nigeria. In this study, investigations were carried out on proximate and mineral constituents of the seed and leaves of the plant parts to ascertain its nutritive and medicinal potentials. Various standard methods were used to determine the availability and quantity of the various proximate (crude protein, fat, moisture, crude fiber, total ash and crude carbohydrate) and minerals (sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc). Results of the proximate analysis revealed that the leaves have higher composition of moisture, ash, fiber, ether extract and crude protein while the stem was richer in dry matter. The total proximate composition of leaves (24.28±30.638) is higher than those of the stem (22.40±31.797). The stem has higher mean composition of all minerals (Sodium, Calcium, Magnesium, Iron and Zinc) when compared with that of the leaf. The total mineral compositions of the stem (190.24±174.429) are higher than those of the leaf (127.76±101.255). Cnidosculus aconitifolius provides reasonable quantities of most essential nutrients useful for human health maintenance. Minerals and other micronutrients have been shown to be essential in the control of diseases.