Evaluation of the Nutritional, Phytochemical, and Antioxidant Potential of Rourea minor Fruits: An Underutilized Species

The present study focuses on the nutritional, phytochemical composition, and antioxidant activities of fruits Rourea minor (Gaertn.) Alston., an underutilized plant species. ripened seeds contained 0.28%, 12.39%, 25.70%, 1.4%, 3.4% fat, protein, carbohydrate, ash, fiber, respectively, whereas pulp possessed 0.19%, 0.34%, 0.90%, 0.35%, 0.98% carbohydrates, respectively. seed were also rich in mineral elements especially microelements. pulp, when ripe, had high levels microelements such as boron, iron, zinc, copper, manganese with values 25.98, 2523.56, 499.12, 33.62, 40.30 µg/g DW, Phytate oxalate content comparatively higher (6.91 31.88 mg/g FW) than pulp. Acetone, absolute methanol, water, 70% methanol used for extraction phytochemicals, extract highest phytochemicals. total phenolic, flavonoid, alkaloid unripe was 180.47 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/DW, 68.95 quercetin (QE)/g 0.35 atropine (AE)/g that 8.21 GAE/g 2.97 QE/g DW 1.20 AE/g All extracts showed remarkable activity, proved by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging ferric-reducing power (FRAP) assay, following a similar trend to composition. concludes fruits, both seeds, could be excellent source nutrients, microelements, antioxidants.