Abstract
Bridelia stipularis (L.) Blume is a fruit-yielding climbing shrub native to Southern Asia and various parts of the plant have been used in traditional systems of medicines to treat a range of diseases. Proximate, mineral, phytochemical analysis of Bridelia stipularis fruit pericap and seeds were carried out in the present study to assess nutritional and phytochemical status. The pericarp and seeds were rich in carbohydrate (38.78 and 33.46 g/100 g dry mass), protein (8.94 and 44.40 g/100 g dry mass), fiber (3.86 and 2.83 g/100 g dry mass) and minerals, in addition to these, seeds also contain oil (9.10 g/100 g dry mass). Pericarp and seeds possess higher concentrations of phenolics (9.84-125.59 mg GAE/g dry mass), flavonoids (7.17-44.67 mg QE/g dry mass), tannins (11.79-17.71 mg TAE g dry mass) and lesser concentrations of antinutritive factors, such as phytate (0.06-0.26 g/100 g dry mass) and oxalate (0.23-0.46 g/100 g dry mass). The physicochemical characteristics and fatty acid profile revealed that B. stipularis seed oil could be used for edible purposes. The seed oil is abundant with linolenic acid (36.7 g/100 g of oil), oleic acid (23.39 g/100 g oil) and hence, it could be used in soap and detergents.