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© 2020 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. 

VARIATIONS IN VITAMIN COMPOSITION OF FOUR ACCESSIONS OF Dialium 
guineense (L.) FRUIT PULP   

 

 

 Awotedu, B.F.1+ 

 Awotedu, O. L.2 

 Ogunbamowo, P. 
O.3  

 Chukwudebe E. P.4 

 Ariwoola, O. S.5 

 

1,2,3Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, Jericho hills, Ibadan, Oyo State, 
Nigeria. 

 
4Moist Forest Research Station, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. 

 
5Federal College of Forestry Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. 

 
 

 
(+ Corresponding author) 

 ABSTRACT 
 
Article History 
Received: 18 March 2020 
Revised: 24 April 2020 
Accepted: 26 May 2020 
Published: 30 June 2020  
 

Keywords 
Vitamins 
Dialium guineense 
Vitamin C 
Fruit pulp 
Accession 
Variations 
Ascorbic acid. 

 
Dialium guineense is an important medicinal plant used in fighting diverse diseases 
because of the presence of vitamin c it contains. This study is aimed at varying the 
vitamin composition of Dialium guineense fruit pulp obtained from four accessions from 
different geopolitical locations (South-West, South-South, South-East, North-Central) 
in Nigeria.  Different vitamins were considered which includes; Vitamin A, Vitamin B12, 
Vitamin C and Vitamin E. The vitamin composition of D. guineense fruit pulp were done 
according to the standard biochemical method. The result obtained for all the four 
accessions shows varying quantities in the vitamins investigated. Vitamin C has the 

highest amount in varying quantities with the trend: North-Central (Abuja) ˃ South-

South (Edo) ˃ South-West (Oyo) ˃ South-East (Abia), while Vitamin A: North-Central 

(Abuja) ˃ South-West (Oyo) ˃ South-South (Edo) ˃ South-East (Abia), Vitamin B12: 

South-West (Oyo) ˃ North-Central (Abuja) ˃ South-South (Edo) ˃ South-East (Abia), 

and Vitamin E: South-South (Edo) ˃ South-West (Oyo) ˃ North-Central (Abuja) ˃ 
South-East (Abia). These accessions of D. guineense were high in Vitamin C, followed by 
Vitamin A, then Vitamin E, and Vitamin B12.  The presence of all these vitamins are 
good indices that D. guineense is a very rich nutritional and medicinal plant with high 
potentials of vitamin content considering different accessions.   
 

Contribution/Originality: The paper’s primary contribution is finding how provenance/accession could alter 

the genetic make-up and vitamin composition of Dialium guineense. Since vitamin C is the main components of 

Dialium fruits, the experiment is set up to investigate how provenance could affect the different vitamin 

composition of Dialium fruit. 

 

1. INTRODUCTION 

Consuming fruits and vegetables may usually aid in the prevention of chronic and degenerative diseases [1]. 

Vitamins, as part of the nutritional requirement of the human body, are gotten from fruits and plants in a 

substantial amount. Vitamins are a wide group of organic compounds that are needed only in minor quantities. 

However, they are essential constituents of food required for the normal growth, self-maintenance, and functioning 

of human and animal bodies [2]. Humans are not able to synthesize most vitamins and they consequently have to 

be obtained exogenously [3]. Vitamins are usually divided into two general classes: the fat-soluble vitamins, such 

Current Research in Agricultural Sciences 
2020 Vol. 7, No. 1, pp. 31-39. 
ISSN(e): 2312-6418 
ISSN(p): 2313-3716 
DOI: 10.18488/journal.68.2020.71.31.39 
© 2020 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. 

 
 
 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6515-1465
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7869-4431
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2463-334X
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7267-0108
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9199-7800
https://www.doi.org/10.18488/journal.68.2020.71.31.39


Current Research in Agricultural Sciences, 2020, 7(1): 31-39 

 

 
32 

© 2020 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. 

as A, D, E and K1, and the water-soluble vitamins, B1, B2, B6, nicotinamide, pantothenic acid, biotin, folic acid, B12 

and C [4]. Usually, a balanced diet can adequately supply the vitamin requirement of the body. A deficiency can 

result in hypovitaminosis and, if more severe, in avitaminosis [5]. A vital dietary supplementary will also enhance 

the availability of these vitamins to the body, through plants, leaves, fruits, fruit pulps, and drugs e.t.c. Wild or 

commercialized fruits in tropical countries offer potential novel sources of macro and micro-nutrients as well as 

promoting health in rural areas. Among these wild fruits, Dialium guineense is found in many parts of sub-saharan 

Africa and remains a well-known nutritional and health-promoting fruit and food to the local population. Dialium 

guineense is a tree of an average height of 30 m with densely leafy crown, smooth greyish bark. Leaves are hairy and 

the flowers are usually whitish while the fruits are less circular and flattened. The pulp of the fruit is edible and 

sweet, with fairly low levels of ascorbic acid and tannin. It is a fairly good source of protein and minerals [6]. 

Dialium guineense also known as Velvet tamarind can be found in West African countries such as Ghana where it is 

known as Yoyi, Sierra Leone, Senegal, and Nigeria where it is known as Awin in Yoruba, Icheku in Igbo and 

Tsamiyar kurm in Hausa [7, 8]. The fruits are widely sold in local markets and are consumed fresh by people of all 

ages as a snack.  Some elderly people consume a non-alcoholic drink made from the fruit. Also, the bark, roots and 

leaves of Dialium guineense have medicinal properties and are used for the treatment of a variety of health problems. 

The fruits of the plant are chewed by most women in Southeastern Nigeria to improve lactation and check genital 

infection [9]. The leaves and stem bark are also used as folklore remedies for the treatment of infections such as 

diarrhoea, severe cough, bronchitis, wound, stomachaches, malaria, fever, jaundice, ulcer and haemorrhoids [10]. 

The flour of Dialium guineense pulp can be incorporated in infant foods to enhance appetite and provide a remedy for 

the problem of scurvy and micronutrient deficiencies. Extracts from Dialium guineense plants have been shown to 

possess both anti-mutagenic and molluscicidal activities [11]. The fruits are used in medicinal remedies, as a source 

of vitamin C, as flavour in snacks and non-alcoholic beverages [12, 13]. Fruit pulp supplies high amount of 

micronutrients like sodium, magnesium and potassium. Bark and leaves are used against several diseases such as 

malaria [14]. The pulp is a source of Vitamin C which is needed by both adult and children. The leaves can be 

squeezed and apply on wounds, this is practised by wolofs of Senegal Devendra [15]. Okegbile, et al. [16] found a 

high content of vitamin C and other micronutrients in wild fruits when compared with nutrition supplied by other 

fruits such as oranges, Avogadro pear, pineapple, pawpaw and commercially produced fruits. Researchers have not 

focused on comparing vitamin c and other vitamin content of different accessions. Thus, the experiment is set up to 

investigate and evaluate how provenance could affect the genetic make-up and vitamin composition of Dialium 

guineense.  

 

2. MATERIALS AND METHOD 

2.1. Collection Area 

Fruits of four accessions of Dialium guineense were collected from local markets in four geo-political zones; 

South-West (Oyo State) collected precisely from Oje market, South-South (Edo State) collected from Auchi market, 

South-East (Abia State) collected from Ahia Ukwu market and North-Central (FCT, Abuja) collected precisely from 

Gwagwalada market across Nigeria. All the accessions collected were identified and authenticated at the Taxonomy 

unit of Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria. Ibadan. Oyo State, Nigeria. 

 

2.2. Seed Extraction 

The D. guineense fruits collected from each accession were extracted in the nursery by manually de-pulping the 

seeds from the fruits. The pulp of the fruits was kept under a very cool condition and placed inside a closed 

container ready for analysis. 

 

 



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2.3. Vitamin Analysis 

The vitamin composition present in the pulp of D. guineense obtained from four geo-political zones were 

determined using the standard method described by Achikanu, et al. [17]; AOAC [18]. The vitamins investigated 

include A, C, E, and B12 for all the four accessions. 

 

2.4. Determination of Vitamin A (Retinol) 

A quantity, one gram, of the sample was weighed and macerated with 20mls of n-hexane in a test tube for 10 

minutes. Then 3mls of the upper hexane extract was transferred into a dry test tube in duplicates and evaporated to 

dryness. Following this, 0.2ml of acetic anhydride chloroform reagent was added and 2ml of 50% trichloroacetic 

acid (TCA) in chloroform was also added. The absorbance was taken at 15 seconds and 30 seconds intervals at 

620nm. 

 

2.5. Determination of B12 (Cobalamin) 

9-10 g of the sample was ground and homogenized to a fine powder with the use of mortar and pestle, 

combined with the use of liquid nitrogen until the powder of the sample to be homogenized (the best possible). 

Afterwards, an aliquot was accurately weighed and transferred into a flask. 60 ml of 50 mM acetate buffer (pH 4.0), 

1 ml of KCN (1% w/v), 1 g pepsin, 300 μl α-amylase were added, and the suspension was incubated at 370C for 3 h 

under agitation. The enzymatic reaction was stopped by incubating the sample in boiling water at 1000C for 30-35 

min. After cooling to room temperature, the solution was centrifuged at 4,000 rpm for 25 min at 4oC. The 

supernatant was collected and filtered through filter paper. The solution was quantitatively transferred to a 

volumetric flask. Plant samples with high moisture content were cut into small particles in paper containers. The 

containers were placed in an incubator and dried at 900C for 24 h. The dry weights of the plant samples were 

derived from these procedures. All data also from fresh plant samples were corrected to dry weight. Heating (1000C, 

30 min) was done, Cooking was also done using the ice bath, 30min, centrifugation 5000rpm 3oC 25mins. Filtration 

of supernatant was done and the PH was adjusted to 7. Water dilution was done up to 100ml. The sample was then 

purified and concentrated, after which the B12 was analyzed [19]. 

 

2.6. Determination of Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid) 

About 0.5g of the sample was weighed, macerated with 10mls of 0.4% oxalic acid in a test tube for 10 minutes, 

centrifuged for 5 minutes and the solution filtered. 1ml of the filtrate was transferred into a dry test tube in 

duplicates, 9mls of 2,6- di-chlorophenol indophenol was added and absorbance was taken at 15 seconds and 30 

seconds interval at 520nm. 

 

2.7. Determination of Vitamin E (Tocopherol) 

One gram (1g) of the original sample was weighed, macerated with 20mls of n-hexane in a test tube for 10 

minutes and centrifuged for 10 minutes. The solution was filtered, 3mls of the filtrate was transferred into a dry test 

tube in duplicates and evaporated to dryness in a boiling water bath. Following this, 2mls of 0.5N alcoholic 

potassium hydroxide was added and boiled for 30 minutes in a water bath. Then 3mls of n-hexane was added and 

was shaken vigorously. The n-hexane was transferred into another set of test tubes and evaporated to dryness. A 

volume, 2mls, of ethanol was added to the residue. Another volume, 1ml of 0.2% ferric chloride in ethanol was 

added. Then 1ml of 0.5% α1 - α1 di-pyridyl in ethanol was added followed by the addition of 1ml of ethanol to make 

it up to 5mls. The solution was mixed and absorbance was taken at 520nm against the blank. 

 

 

 



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© 2020 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. 

2.8. Data Analysis  

Data obtained were expressed in the graphical Figures where each bar represents the mean and the error bar, 

the standard deviation of triplicate measurement, analysis of variance and Duncan test was done to determine 

significant differences in the means of the measured vitamins from the four sources, p < 0.05 was considered 

significant; thus, bars with same alphabets are not significantly different. Statistical analysis was done using IBM 

SPSS version 20. 

 

3. RESULTS 

The results of the vitamin’s concentration in the accessions collected from the four locations are presented in 

Figure 1-4. Vitamin A content ranged from 1.09-6.32 mg/100g, vitamin C content ranged from 13.00-48.63 

mg/100g, vitamin E content ranged from 0.61-3.26 mg/100g while vitamin B12 content ranged from 1.03-

2.59mg/100g. The result also shows that the highest content of vitamin A, C and B12 was found in accession from 

Abuja, while for Vitamin E, the highest concentration was found in accession from Edo, however, the lowest levels 

of all the vitamins was found in accession from Abia. There are significant differences (p < 0.05) in the means of all 

the vitamins concentrations in the four accessions 

 

 
Figure-1. Vitamin A Concentration in Four Accessions of Dialium guineense Fruit Pulp. 

                                            

 
Figure-2. Vitamin C Concentration in Four Accessions of Dialium guineense Fruit Pulp. 

 



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© 2020 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. 

 
Figure-3. Vitamin E Concentration in Four Accessions of Dialium guineense Fruit Pulp. 

 

 
Figure-4. Vitamin B12 Concentration in Four Accessions of Dialium guineense Fruit Pulp. 

                                          

4. DISCUSSION 

Vitamins are usually required in very small quantities. They are usually grouped into two as fat-soluble 

vitamins (A, D, E and K) and Water-soluble vitamins (B and C). The fat-soluble vitamins can be found in the liver 

and the adipose tissues, while the water-soluble are usually eliminated out of the body. Vitamin C possesses an 

antioxidant character and have the potential for maintaining the connective tissues, facilitates the absorption of 

dietary iron from the intestine and wound healing [20].  Vitamin A and C content are adequate to supplement 

other dietary sources. Vitamin A helps in the treatment of eye problem while lack of vitamin C causes scurvy and 

gingivitis. Vitamin E and C are important antioxidants which protect the outer membranes from oxidative 

stress/damage [21]. The recommended dietary allowance of vitamin C for adults is 45 mg/day [22]. Vitamin C is 

one of the major components of the fruit pulp of D. guineensis. In this study, the fruit pulp across the accession in all 

the locations contain ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), tocopherol (vitamin E), retinol (vitamin A) and Vitamin B12 which 

recommends them as good dietary supplements, antioxidants, and also essential for clear vision.  



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Vitamins are also important nutrients, vitamin A is important for normal vision, gene expression, growth and 

immune function by its maintenance of epithelial cell functions [23]. For all the accessions investigated for Vitamin 

A, North-Central (Abuja) gave the highest concentration (6.32mg/100g), this level is significantly higher than 

those of the other accessions (p < 0.05), this is followed by accessions from South-West (Oyo) (3.89mg/100g) and 

South-South (Edo) (3.05mg/100g) whose levels are comparable, then, accessions from South-East (Abia) which had 

the least value (1.09mg/100g). The vitamin A concentration range reported in this study is lower when compared 

with the findings of Achikanu, et al. [17] where the result for vitamin A in all the plant samples investigated gave 

very high values except for Ficus capensis which gave (25.22mg/100g). However, the value reported by Ocheja, et al. 

[24] for cashew nutshell for vitamin A was (8.12mg/100g) which was higher than the value reported for all the 

accessions across the four geo-political zones. In the research finding of Ogbonna, et al. [25] he reported lower 

figures for all the musa spp investigated compared to all the accessions except for Abia accession that gave 

1.09mg/100g. Terminalia catappa flour gave a very high value of 6.45 mg/100g in the research work of Anuforo, et 

al. [26]  and the value was higher than all the reported result for all the accessions across the four geo-political 

zones. The recommended dietary allowance and the daily dose of vitamin A for adults is 0.8-10 mg/day [4]. 

Vitamin B12 plays an important role in promoting carbohydrate, protein and normal fat metabolism, it is essential in 

the formation of red blood cells, the normal functioning of the nervous system and on the translocation of the 

methyl group in DNA synthesis. The result of the Vitamin B12 obtained for all the accessions across the four geo-

political zones shows that South West (Oyo) has 2.67mg/100g which is the highest in all the accessions collected, 

this is followed by North-Central (Abuja) which has 2.59mg/100g, then South-South (Edo) which gave 

2.08mg/100g, and finally South-East (Abia) which gave 1.03mg/100g.  The vitamin B12 result for all the accessions 

ranges from 1.03-2.67mg/100g. The result obtained in the findings of Achi, et al. [27] for Ficus capensis leaves gave 

0.37mg/100g which is very low compared to all the values gotten for the accessions investigated in this studies 

across the country.  Ocheja, et al. [24] reports that no vitamin B12 exist in his research findings for cashew 

nutshell which is contrary to the result obtained in this research study. D. guineensis leaves contains ascorbic acid 

(Vitamin C), tocopherol (vitamin E), retinol (vitamin A) and Vitamin B12 which recommends them as good dietary 

supplements, antioxidants, and also essential for clear vision. The highest value gotten for vitamin C was recorded 

for North-Central accession (Abuja) which is (48.63mg/100g), followed by South-South (Edo) which as (36.34 

mg/100g), South-West (Oyo) which gave (35.81mg/100g), and South-East (Abia) whose result was 

(13.00mg/100g). The results have gotten for all the vitamin accessed for all the fruit pulp varied significantly 

(p<0.05) among the four locations. The vitamin c content (33.33mg/100g) gotten for Dialium guineense fruit pulp in 

the finding of Ogungbenle [28] was lower than the value recorded for Abuja, Oyo and Edo but on the contrary 

higher than Abia. The vitamin C value obtained in this study for Abuja is on the high side compared to that 

reported by Ocheja, et al. [24] who in his findings reports a value of 46.41mg/100g for Cashew nutshell but 

comparably higher than that reported for other accessions. Also, all the values reported by Ogbonna, et al. [25] for 

the different stages of development of Musa spp for their vitamin C are all lower than the values reported in these 

studies. Offor and Igwe [29] also reported a very high vitamin c content in its findings for Solanum aethiopicum and 

Solanum macrocarpon which corroborates our findings too for all the accessions. There is an astronomical difference 

between all the result obtained in this experiment for vitamin c compared to that which was reported by Achi, et al. 

[27] for all the vitamins analyzed for Ficus capensis leaves. The vitamin c content reported for Terminalia catappa 

endocarp flour is 14.54mg/100g and it is far lower than the values reported for D. guineense accessions in this study, 

except for Abia accession that is 13.00mg/100g. Fully matured and not darkened fruits gave a very low vitamin c 

result in the findings of Duru, et al. [30] compared to the result gotten in this study for all the accession across the 

geo-political zones. Vitamin c content of Adansonia digitata fruit pulp in the findings of Chabite, et al. [31] from two 

districts of Mozambique which are Nacarôa (N) and Eráti (E) gave 62.38mg/100g and 52.83mg/100g which is 

higher than all the value gotten for D. guineense fruit pulp in all the four accession across the country. Also, the 



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© 2020 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. 

result obtained for all the accessions studied is astronomically higher than the value gotten in the findings of 

Asoiro, et al. [32] who reported 0.3g/kg of D. guineense fruit pulp. Also, the value (4.5mg/100g) gotten for vitamin 

c in D. guineense fruit pulp growing in the Benin Republic by Gnansounou, et al. [33] was very low compared to 

that reported for all accessions in this study. Fruit pulp result obtained in the findings of Jacob, et al. [34] 34 gave 

39.93mg/100g for Dialium guineense, which is comparably lower than the value gotten for Abuja accession but 

higher than all the other accessions. The recommended dietary allowance of vitamin C for adults is 45 mg/day 

[22]. Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant which helps to protect cells from damage by free radicals and it is vital to 

the formation and normal function of red blood cell and muscles [23]. The result gotten for all the different 

accession obtained across the four geopolitical zones for vitamin E shows that South-South (Edo) has the highest 

value (3.26mg/100g) reported followed by South-West (Oyo) which gave (2.23mg/100g), then North-Central 

(Abuja) which shows (1.58mg/100g) and finally South-East (Abia) whose report gave (1.03mg/100g). The vitamin 

E result for all the accessions ranges from 1.03-3.26mg/100g. All the values reported for vitamin E in the findings 

of Duru, et al. [30] for all the fruits at different stages of maturation are very low compared to the values reported 

in this studies for all the accessions across the country. Also, all the green leafy vegetables in the finding of 

Achikanu, et al. [17] gave higher values compared to all our accessions collected. Ogbonna, et al. [25] reported in 

his findings for cashew nutshell a lower value of 0.46mg/100g which is lesser than all the values reported in our 

findings. The recommended dietary allowance and the daily dose of vitamin E for adults is 8-10 mg/day [4].  

 

5. CONCLUSION 

The presence of all these vitamins is good indices that Dialium guineense is a very effective nutritional plant and 

a good dietary supplement for human being. Moreover, the high content of vitamin C indicated in all the accessions, 

and the varying quantities of other vitamins across the geopolitical zones depict that variation in environment and 

location could affect the genetic make-up, medicinal value and nutritional composition of D. guineense. The following 

trend was observed for vitamin composition in the four accessions obtained across different geo-political zones: 

North-Central (Abuja) gave the highest value for Vitamin C and Vitamin A, while South-West (Oyo) gave the 

highest amount for Vitamin B12 and South-South (Edo) gave the highest value for Vitamin E.  

 

Funding: This study received no specific financial support.    
Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests.  
Acknowledgement: All authors contributed equally to the conception and design of the study. 

 

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