Vitamin and Mineral Constituents of Eupatorium odoratum (Obiar Ofu)

Abstract

Eupatorium odoratum is a tropical plant widely used in traditional medicine in Nigeria. While its therapeutic applications are well documented, information on its vitamin and mineral composition remains limited. This study investigated the vitamin and mineral content of Eupatorium odoratum leaves to evaluate its potential as a dietary supplement and functional food ingredient. Fresh leaves were collected from Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Agbani, Enugu State, Nigeria, identified and authenticated, and analyzed using UV spectrophotometry for vitamins and atomic absorption spectrophotometry for minerals. The vitamin analysis revealed that E. odoratum is a rich source of essential vitamins, with particularly high levels of vitamin C (68.059 mg/kg). Substantial amounts of fat-soluble vitamins were also detected, including vitamin E (21.850 mg/kg), vitamin D (10.476 mg/kg), and vitamin A (9.237 mg/kg). The plant further contained B-complex vitamins, such as vitamin B1 (0.044 mg/kg), B2 (0.126 mg/kg), B3 (0.476 mg/kg), B6 (0.238 mg/kg), and B12 (2.738 mg/kg), though in smaller quantities. Mineral analysis showed the presence of essential macro- and micro-elements, including sodium (7.676 mg/kg), calcium (5.098 mg/kg), potassium (4.267 mg/kg), magnesium (3.787 mg/kg), iron (1.422 mg/kg), zinc (0.564 mg/kg), and selenium (0.178 mg/kg), alongside trace amounts of other elements. Toxic metals such as arsenic and aluminum were not detected, while lead, cadmium, and mercury occurred at very low levels. the findings highlight Eupatorium odoratum as a vitamin- and mineral-rich plant with promising nutritional and health benefits, supporting its potential application in disease prevention, functional foods, and drug development.