Abstract

Introduction. Sorghum is available cereal seeds of African origin belonging to the Poaceae family. However, its metabolites and proximate composition have not studied well, which led to the under-utilization of this cereal. This research aimed to investigate the classes of phytochemical and proximate compositions of sorghum extract in order to assess its nutraceutical potential for food chemistry and dietary formulations.
Study objects and methods. We studied the sorghum seed oil extract obtained with the help of a Soxhlet extractor. Sorghum was purchased in Ota, Nigeria. The bioactive compounds were identified by standard methods of phytochemical screening, the nutritional content was investigated with proximate analysis, and the secondary metabolites in the sorghum extract were determined using gas chromatography – mass spectrometry (GC-MS).
Result and discussion. The phytochemical screening showed the presence of steroids, saponins, terpenoids, alkaloids, cardiac glycosides, and quinones in the sorghum extract. The oil yield obtained was 11.00 ± 0.18%. The proximate analysis revealed 5.94% moisture content, 3.05% ash, 0.20% crude fiber, 11.00% fat, 5.54% protein, and 74.27% carbohydrates. The selected physicochemical parameters measured in the sorghum extract included cloud point (0.40°C), specific gravity at 25°C (0.81), and refractive index (1.46). The GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of 9,12-octadecadienoic acid (Z,Z)-, stigmasterol, 8-dodecen-1-ol, acetate, (Z)-, vitamin E, linoleic acid ethyl ester, and 9,12-octadecadienoic acid, methyl ester, which accounted for about 85% in the sorghum composition. Other constituents, presented at lower amounts, included 12-heptadecyn-1-ol, 1H-Imidazole-5-ethanamine, 1-methyl-, and cyclononene.
Conclusion. The findings of this study revealed high nutritive potential of sorghum, which make it a rich source of energy for humans and animals.

Keywords

Sorghum, phytochemicals, nutritional value, chromatography, proximate analysis, bioactive compounds, grain

REFERENCES

1. McKevith B. Nutritional aspects of cereals. Nutrition Bulletin. 2004;29(2):111–142. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-3010.2004.00418.x.
2. Ajani OO, Owoeye TF, Olasehinde GI, Audu OY, Owolabi FE, Akinlabu DK, et al. Preliminary studies on the seed oil of Caryota mitis: Proximate composition, phytochemical screening and evaluation of antimicrobial activity. American Journal of Food Technology. 2016;11(6):253–263. https://doi.org/10.3923/ajft.2016.253.263.
3. Owoeye TF, Ajani OO, Akinlabu DK, Ayanda OI. Proximate composition, structural characterization and phytochemical screening of the seed oil of Adenanthera pavonina linn. Rasayan Journal of Chemistry. 2017;10(3):807–814. https://doi.org/10.7324/RJC.2017.1031712.
4. Seal CJ, Brownlee IA. Whole grains and health, evidence from observational and intervention studies. Cereal Chemistry. 2010;87(2):167–174. https://doi.org/10.1094/CCHEM-87-2-0167.
5. Sarwar MH, Sarwar MF, Sarwar M, Qadri NA, Moghal S. The importance of cereals (Poaceae: Gramineae) nutrition in human health: A review. Journal of Cereals and Oilseed. 2013;4(3):32–35. https://doi.org/10.5897/JCO12.023.
6. Varoquax N, Cole B, Gao C, Pierroz G, Baker GR, Patel D, et al. Transcriptomic analysis of field-droughted sorghum from seedling to maturity reveals biotic and metabolic responses. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 2019;116(52):27124–27132. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1907500116.
7. Oguntola S. Sorghum bicolour, good blood builder for women with fibroid [Internet]. [cited 2021 Apr 27]. Available from: https://tribuneonlineng.com/sorghum-bicolour-good-blood-builder-women-fibroid.
8. Mohammed ZS, Mabudi AH, Murtala Y, Jibrin S, Sulaiman S, Salihu J. Nutritional analysis of three commonly consumed varieties of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) in Bauchi State, Nigerian. Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management. 2019;23(7):1329–1334. https://doi.org/10.4314/jasem.v23i7.21.
9. Firdous DH. Health benefits of sorghum, uses and its side effects [Internet]. [cited 2021 Apr 27]. Available from: https://www.lybrate.com/topic/benefits-of-sorghum-and-its-side-effects.
10. Sorghum grain. Encyclopaedia Britannica [Internet]. [cited 2021 Apr 27]. Available from: https://www.britannica.com/plant/sorghum-grain.
11. Ajeigbe HA, Akinseye FM, Ayuba K, Jonah, J. Productivity and water use efficiency of sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] grown under different nitrogen applications in Sudan savanna zone. Nigeria. International Journal of Agronomy. 2018;2018. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/7676058.
12. Mathur S, Umakanth AV, Tonapi VA, Sharma R, Sharma MK. Sweet sorghum as biofuel feedstock: Recent advances and available resources. Biotechnology for Biofuels. 2017;10(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13068-017-0834-9.
13. Vanamala JKP, Massey AR, Pinnamaneni SR, Reddivari L, Reardon KF. Grain and sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) serves as a novel source of bioactive compounds for human health. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. 2018;58(17):2867–2881. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2017.1344186.
14. Hassan S, Imran M, Ahmad N, Khan MK. Lipid characterization of ultrasound and microwave processed germinated sorghum. Lipids in Health and Disease.2017;16(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12944-017-0516-4.
15. Ejikeme CM, Ezeonu CS, Eboatu AN. Determination of physical and phytochemical constituents of some tropical timbers indigenous to Niger Delta area of Nigeria. European Scientific Journal. 2014;10(18):247–270.
16. Ramya I, Arunadevi S, Vidhya A. Screening of phytochemicals and testing the antimicrobial activity of different parts of Erigeon sp and its essential oil. International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences. 2015;4(8):372–378.
17. Gangwal A, Parmar SK, Sheth NR. Triterpenoid, flavonoids and sterols from Lagenaria siceraria fruit. Der Pharmacia Lettre. 2010;2(1):307–317.
18. Suneetha V, Mishra B, Gopinath R, Ray SS, Kartik Gaurav KB, Chaubey P, et al. Screening and identification of degradable products by pectin lyase producing Actinomycetes from Katpadi and Chittoor fruit industrial waste enriched soil samples. Asian Journal of Microbiology, Biotechnology and Environmental Sciences. 2012;14(3):405–412.
19. Abdulkadir MN, Amoo IA, Adesina AO. Chemical composition of Hura crepitans seed and antimicrobial activities of its oil. International Journal of Scientific and Research. 2013;2(3):440–445.
20. Cereal production in dryland [Internet]. [cited 2021 Apr 27]. Available from: https://www.fao.org/docrep/012/i0372e/i0372e02.pdf.
21. Adebayo OO, Ibraheem O. The current status of cereals (maize, rice and sorghum) crops cultivation in Africa: Need for integration of advances in transgenic for sustainable crop production. International Journal of Agricultural Policy and Research. 2015;3(3):233–245. https://doi.org/10.15739/IJAPR.035.
22. Iqbal MA, Iqbal A. Overview on sorghum for food, feed, forage and fodder: opportunities and problems in Pakistan’s perspectives. American Eurasian Journal of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences. 2015;15(9):1818–1826. https://doi.org/10.5829/idosi.aejaes.2015.15.9.12681.
23. Iqbal A, Sadia B, Khan AI, Awan FS, Kainth RA, Sadaqat HA. Biodiversity in the Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) germplasm of Pakistan. Genetics and Molecular Research. 2010;9(2):756–764. https://doi.org/10.4238/vol9-2gmr741.
24. Global trends in sorghum production [Internet]. [cited 2021 Jun 30]. Available from: https://nuseed.com/eu/global-trends-in-sorghum-production/.
25. Ajani OO, Owoeye FT, Owolabi FE, Akinlabu DK, Audu OY. Phytochemical screening and nutraceutical potential of sandbox tree (Hura crepitans L.) seed oil. Foods and Raw Materials. 2019;7(1):143–150. https://doi.org/10.21603/2308-4057-2019-1-143-150.
26. Kregiel D, Berlowska J, Witonska I, Antolak H, Proestos C, Babic M, et al. Saponin-based, biological-active surfactants from plants, application and characterization of surfactants. In: Najjar R, editor. Application and characterization of surfactants. IntechOpen; 2017. https://doi.org/10.5772/68062.
27. de Bruijn FJ. Biosynthesis of natural product: introduction. In: de Bruijn FJ, editor. The model legume Medicago truncatula. John Wiley and Sons Inc; 2020. p. 207. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119409144.part4.
28. Liwa AC, Barton EN, Cole WC, Nwokocha CR. Bioactive plant molecules, sources and mechanism of action in the treatment of cardiovascular disease. In: Badal S, Delgoda R, editors. Academic Press; 2017. p. 315–336. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-802104-0.00015-9.
29. Morsy N. Cardiac glycosides in medicinal plants. In: El-Shemy H, editor. Aromatic and medicinal plants. Back to nature. IntechOpen; 2017. https://doi.org/10.5772/65963.
30. Ezeonu CS, Ejikeme CM. Qualitative and quantitative determination of phytochemical contents of indigenous Nigerian softwoods. New Journal of Science. 2016;2016. https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/5601327.
31. Cardiac glycosides [Internet]. [cited 2021 Jun 12]. Available from: https://www.amboss.com/us/knowledge/Cardiac_glycosides.
32. Yazaki K, Arimura G-I, Ohnishi T. “Hidden” terpenoids in plants: their biosynthesis, localization and ecological roles. Plant and Cell Physiology. 2017;58(10):1615–1621. https://doi.org/10.1093/pcp/pcx123.
33. Caputi L, Aprea E. Use of terpenoids as natural flavouring compounds in food industry. Recent Patents on Food, Nutrition and Agriculture.2011;3(1):9–16. https://doi.org/10.2174/2212798411103010009.
34. Son EJ, Kim JH, Kim K, Park CB. Quinone and its derivatives for energy harvesting and storage materials. Journal of Material Chemistry A. 2016;4(29):11179–11202. https://doi.org/10.1039/C6TA03123D.
35. Amalfitano C, Golubkina NA, Del Vacchio L, Russo G, Cannoniero M, Somma S, et al. Yield, antioxidant components, oil content, and composition of onion seeds are influenced by planting time and density. Plants. 2019;8(8). https://doi.org/10.3390/plants8080293.
36. Wang L, Weller CL, Hwang KT. Extraction of lipids from grain sorghum DDG. Transactions of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers. 2005;48(5):1883–1888.
37. Chaudhary M, Verma SK. Analysis of the physicochemical properties of the processed fruits and vegetable products. International Journal Pharma and Bio Sciences. 2011;2(4):660–666.
38. Maina CY, Aliyu HM. Extraction and characterisation of Guna oil. International Journal of Food and Agricultural Research. 2009;6:93–100.
39. Umar KJ, Hassan LG, Usman H, Wasagu RSU. Nutritional composition of the seeds of wild melon (Citrullus ecirrhosus). Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences. 2013;16(11):536–540. https://doi.org/10.3923/pjbs.2013.536.540.
40. Bamishaiye EI, Olayemi FF, Awagu EF, Bamishaiye OM. Proximate and phytochemical composition of Moringa oleifera leaves at three stages of maturation. Advance Journal of Food Science and Technology. 2011;3(4):233–237.
41. Bhattacharjee S, Sultana A, Sazzad MH, Islam MA, Ahtashom MM, Asaduzzaman. Analysis of the proximate composition and energy values of two varieties of onion (Allium cepa L.) bulbs of different origin: A comparative study. International Journal of Nutrition and Food Science. 2013;2(5):246–253. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijnfs.20130205.16.
42. Ospina JD, Tovar CDG, Flores JCM, Orozco MSS. Relationship between refractive index and thymol concentration in essential oils of Lippia origanoides Kunth. Chilean Journal of Agricultural and Animal Sciences. 2016;32(2):127–133. https://doi.org/10.4067/S0719-38902016000200006.
43. Kothapalli KSD, Parka HG, Brenna JT. Polyunsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis pathway and genetics. implications for interindividual variability in prothrombotic, inflammatory conditions such as COVID-19. Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids. 2020;162. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plefa.2020.102183.