Proximate Composition, Vitamin, Mineral, and Phytochemical Profile of Adansonia digitata (Baobab) Leaves

Adansonia digitata L. (baobab), a multipurpose indigenous tree of sub-Saharan Africa, is widely consumed and used in traditional medicine, yet its nutritional and phytochemical value is often documented only anecdotally. This study evaluated the proximate composition, vitamin content, mineral content, and qualitative and quantitative phytochemical constituents of A. digitata leaves collected in Mubi, Adamawa State, Nigeria, using standard AOAC and phytochemical screening procedures. Proximate analysis showed that the leaves were predominantly carbohydrate (43.69%) and crude protein (27.73%), with moderate crude fibre (13.24%), ash (5.67%), low moisture (6.62%) and fat (3.57%) contents. Vitamin analysis revealed high concentrations of vitamin C (43.54 mg/100 g), with vitamin A, vitamin K, and B-complex vitamins present in smaller amounts. Mineral analysis showed potassium (622.46 mg/100 g), calcium (325.37 mg/100 g), and phosphorus (217.34 mg/100 g) as the most abundant elements, alongside magnesium, iron, and zinc. Qualitative screening confirmed the presence of tannins, alkaloids, flavonoids, phytates, and glycosides, while steroids were not detected; quantitative analysis showed phytates (23.23 g/100 g) and flavonoids (12.57 g/100 g) as the dominant phytochemicals. These findings confirm that A. digitata leaves are a nutrient-dense, phytochemically rich plant material with demonstrable potential as a functional food ingredient and a source of bioactive compounds for nutraceutical and pharmaceutical development. Further toxicological and pharmacological studies are recommended before large-scale therapeutic application.