Nutritional and Medicinal Potentials of Polyalthia longifolia Leaf Extracts in Animal Production

Abstract

The clamour for organic agriculture necessitated the use of phytogenics in animal production. This study evaluates the nutritional and medicinal properties of P. longifolia leaf extracts, focusing on proximate composition, amino acid profile, mineral content, vitamin composition, phytochemical constituents, antioxidant capacity, and antimicrobial activity. The proximate analysis revealed a high carbohydrate content (66.47%), along with notable levels of crude fiber (10.01%), crude fat (7.61%), and crude protein (5.24%). Amino acid profiling identified glutamic acid as the most abundant amino acid (23.98 mg/100g), with essential amino acids such as leucine, phenylalanine, and valine present in significant quantities. Mineral analysis highlighted the presence of essential elements including iron (87.52 mg/100g), zinc (50.62 mg/100g), potassium (40.9 mg/100g), and phosphorus (44.92 mg/100g). Phytochemical screening confirmed the presence of flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, and saponins, which are known for their therapeutic properties. The antioxidant assay demonstrated a concentration-dependent increase in radical scavenging activity, with the highest inhibition observed at 100 µg/ml. Antimicrobial tests showed significant inhibition of bacterial strains such as Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, suggesting the potential of P. longifolia as a natural antimicrobial agent. These findings indicate that P. longifolia leaf extracts possess valuable nutritional and medicinal properties that could be harnessed for applications in animal production, particularly in enhancing growth performance and disease resistance.