Available online at www.scholarsresearchlibrary.com Scholars Research Library J. Nat. Prod. Plant Resour., 2012, 2 (2):251-255 (http://scholarsresearchlibrary.com/archive.html) ISSN : 2231 – 3184 CODEN (USA): JNPPB7 251 Scholars Research Library Screening of anti-nutritional factors from some wild edible plants Shivprasad Mahadkar, Sujata Valvi and Varsha Rathod* Department of Botany, Shivaji University, Kolhapur, M.S., India ______________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACT In present investigation, ten wild edible plants viz. Ensete Superbum (Roxb.) Cheesuran, Gmelina arborea Roxb, Oroxylum indicum (L.),Vent, Bauhinia recemosa Lam. Caryota urens L, Smilax zeylanica L, Woodfordia fruticosa (L.) Kurz, Commelina benghalensis L, Garcinia indica (Du Petit-Thou.) Choisy, Zanthoxylum rhetsa (Roxb.) DC were studied for their antinutrional factors. The highest level of phytate was found in Ensete Superbum (0.12 ±0.02), Oxalate was highest in Smilax zeylanica (0.11±0.17) where as tannin was highest in Bauhinia recemosa Lam. and saponin is absent in all plants. The values of antinutrients in all above studied plants are below the toxic levels of antinutrients. Key words: Wild edible plants, antinutrients, oxalate, phytate, saponin and tannins. ______________________________________________________________________________ INTRODUCTION Wild edible plants are rich in several nutrients and rural people consumed frequently. However, the main problem related to the nutritional exploitation of these kinds of plants is the presence of antinutritional and toxic principles (Guil et al, 1997). Flower antinutritional factor that can affect the availability of nutrients required by the body. Table 1. List of wild edible plants and their edible part Sr. o. Name of Plant species Family Vernacular Name Edible plant part 1. Ensete Superbum (Roxb.) Cheesuran Musaceae Ran-keli, Chaveli-keli Flower 2. Gmelina arborea Roxb Verbenaceae Shivan Fruit 3. Oroxylum indicum (L.) Vent, Bignoniaceae Tetu Fruit 4. Bauhinia recemosa Lam. Caesalpiniaceae Apata Fruit 5. Caryota urens L Areceae Ardhashishi, Fruit 6. Smilax zeylanica L Smilacaceae Chopchini Leaves 7. Woodfordia fruticosa (L.) Kurz Lytharaceae Dhayati Flower 8. Commelina benghalensis L Commelinaceae Kena Leaves 9. Garcinia indica (Du Petit-Thou.) Choisy Clusiaceae Kokam Leaves 10. Zanthoxylum rhetsa (Roxb.) DC Rutaceae Tirphal, Chirphal. Fruit The anti-nutritional factors may be defined as those substances generated in natural feed stuffs by the normal metabolism of the species and by different mechanisms (e.g., inactivation of some nutrients, diminution of the digestive process or metabolic utilization of feed) which exert effects contrary to optimum nutrition (Kumar, 1983).