Available online at http://ajol.info/index.php/ijbcs Int. J. Biol. Chem. Sci. 7(1): 319-331, February 2013 ISSN 1991-8631 © 2013 International Formulae Group. All rights reserved DOI : http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ijbcs.v7i1i.27 Original paper http://indexmedicus.afro.who.int Proximate, mineral and vitamin C composition of vegetable Gbolo [Crassocephalum rubens (Juss. ex Jacq.) S. Moore and C. crepidioides (Benth.) S. Moore] in Benin A. ADJATIN 1 , A. DANSI 1* , E. BADOUSSI 2 , A. F. SANOUSSI 1 , M.DANSI 1 , P. AZOKPOTA 2 , H. AHISSOU 3 , A. AKOUEGNINOU 5 , K. AKPAGANA 6 and A. SANNI 3 1 Laboratory of Biotechnology, Genetic Resources and Plant and Animal Breeding (BIORAVE), Faculty of Sciences and Technology of Dassa, University of Abomey-Calavi, 071BP28, Cotonou, Benin. 2 Department of Nutrition and Food Technology, Faculty of Agriculture (FSA), University of Abomey-Calavi, BP 526 Cotonou, Benin. 3 Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Sciences and Technology (FAST), University of Abomey-Calavi (UAC), P.O. Box 526 Cotonou, Benin. 4 Bioversity International, Office of West and Central Africa, 08 BP 0931, Cotonou, Benin. 5 National Herbarium, Department of Botany and Plant Biology, Faculty of Sciences and Technology (FAST), University of Abomey-Calavi (UAC), BP 526, Cotonou, Benin. 6 Laboratoire de Botanique, Faculté des sciences, Université de Lomé, BP 1515, Lomé, Togo. * Corresponding author, E-mail: adansi2001@gmail.com ABSTRACT Gbolo (Crassocephalum crepidioides and Crassocephalum rubens) is a traditional leafy vegetable highly consumed in southern and central Benin, as well as in some part of northern Benin. The nutritional potential of the two species of Gbolo were evaluated through their proximate composition, mineral and vitamin C profile using recommended AOAC method of analysis. The analysis revealed that the contents in raw protein, total lipids, ash and carbohydrates expressed in % of dry matter were 27.13±0.01%,3.45± 0.00%,19.02± 0.01%and 42.22 ± 0.04% for C. crepidioides; 26.43± 0.01%, 2.75± 0.01%, 19.76± 0.05% and 43.11±0.10 % for C. rubens respectively. The content of vitamin C for 100g of fresh leaf is of 9.17 mg for C. crepidioides and 3.60 mg for C. rubens. The moisture content (% of cool matter) and the total metabolizable energy (kcal/100 g of dried matter) were respectively 86.79± 0.04 %and 308.45 ± 0.28 for C. crepidioides and 87.95% ± 0.07 %and 302.91 ± 0.56 for C. rubens. The result of the mineral composition indicated that the sodium (Na), potassium (K), phosphorus (P), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), Manganese (Mn) and Copper (Cu) contents were higher in C. rubensthan in C. crepidioides. With regard to the obtained values, the Gbolo vegetable showed a satisfactory composition and a significant variability between the mineral salts in its two species and can be valorised for a balanced nutrition of populations. Efforts should be made for the promotion of its wide cultivation and consumption. © 2013 International Formulae Group. All rights reserved. Keywords: Benin, Crassocephalum, Gbolo, mineral composition, proximate composition, vitamin C. INTRODUCTION The health of individuals depends on the quantity and the quality of food they eat (Senga Kitumbe et al., 2013). In tropical countries in general and SSA in particular, the interest of vegetable plants for food for rural communities is recognized (Andzouana and Mombouli, 2012). According to Nair Archana