Abstract
Minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium which are available in the Ajwa dates are known to play vital roles in the regulation of blood pressure due to their interaction with the arterial resistance. The purpose of this study was to investigate the level of various ions in these date seeds and their correlation to the cardiovascular parameters. The powder was subjected to the electron microscope scanning to investigate the texture. Samples were prepared by microwave digestion using suprapur nitric acid 65% and 30% hydrogen peroxide, and 12 elements were targeted for elemental quantification, including potassium, sodium, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, iron, chromium, zinc, copper, manganese, lead, and nickel. ICP-MS analysis was performed using highly sophisticated analytical technique of Perkin Elmer Sciex Elan DRC II Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometer. The topography of Ajwa powder was also examined using scanning electron microscope (SEM), which might affect the quantification of elements being analyzed. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was performed to check any possible chemical interaction after the grinding process. The study showed that certain elements including potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium had higher concentrations in Ajwa powder than Ajwa seeds. The concentrations of the elements such as potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium in the commercially available Ajwa powder were 1003.94 mg/100 g, 158.97 mg/100 g, and 114.10 mg/100 g, respectively. Ajwa powder generated by a mechanical grinder resulted in significant amount of potassium (739.17 mg/100 g), phosphorus (132.60 mg/100 g), and magnesium (39.55 mg/100 g). Moreover, different grinding methods resulted in different concentrations of the elements (calcium and sodium). Ajwa powder generated by motor and pestle yielded approximately 204.54 mg/100 g of calcium, which was significantly higher than commercial Ajwa powder (65.01 mg/100 g). Interestingly, FTIR data suggested a slightly shift of the chemical peaks from the commercial to lab grinded tested powder. This study signifies the medicinal effect of Ajwa in various pathological conditions by presenting major dietary value of key elements present in Ajwa.