Comparative Evaluation of Some Nutrient Contents and Antifungal Properties of Ground Musa paradisiaca (Plantain) Peels and Leaves

Musa paradisiaca (plantain) fruit peels and the plant leaves may have some nutrients and antifungal properties. Thus, the study determined and compared some nutrients (minerals and vitamins) in the ground plantain peels and leaves and the antifungal property of the aqueous and ethanol extracts (at concentration of 100 mg/ml) of the ground plantain peels and leaves, using standard methods. In either sample, vitamin A was not detected. The difference (±5.28 mg/100 g) in the highest of the detected vitamins, vitamin C in the samples, was statistically significant (p<0.05) whereas the difference (±0.01 mg/100 g) in the least detected vitamins, vitamin B2, was not significant (p>0.05). Out of the determined minerals (mg/100 g), the highest concentration was potassium (40.00 ± 0.08) in the plantain leaves followed by phosphorous (36.00 ± 1.65) in the plantain peels while the least was magnesium (1.80 ± 0.05) in the leaves followed by iron (5.60 ± 0.06) in the peels. The ethanol and aqueous extracts of the peels and leaves showed activity (inhibition zone diameter measured in millimeter, mm) against Candida albicans, however, the activity of the ethanol extract of the leaves (15.67±0.58) was higher (p<0.05) than that of the ethanol extract of the peels and the aqueous extract of the peels and leaves. The difference in activity against C. albicans between the samples extracts in terms of either the same or the different extracting solvent was significant (p<0.05) but the overall difference between the samples compared to the extracting solvents (±0.67) was the same hence non-significant (p>0.05). A similar trend was recorded for the activity of the ethanol and aqueous extracts of the peels and leaves against P. notatum. Thus, the plantain peels and leaves could be alternative source for vitamin C. The extracts (aqueous and ethanol) had activity against C. albicans and P. notatumhence may be useful in managing such pathogen-induced ailments. Overall negligible difference in activity against either C. albicans or P. notatum in terms of samples and the extracting solvents was suggested and this may be an underlying useful trend for comparing the overall antimicrobial activity of different samples and solvents, hence warrants a follow up.