Evaluation of mineral, proximate compositions and anti-oxidant activities of some wild edible vegetables of District Kurram Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

This study was conducted to determine the mineral contents and some nutritional properties of five local wild vegetable; Allium griffithianum Boiss, Buglossoides arvensis (L.) I.M.Johnst., Caralluma tuberculata (N.E.Br.) D. C. H. Plowes, Chaerophyllum reflexum Aitch, and Stellaria media (L.) Vill., from district Kurram KP, Pakistan which are associated with folk knowledge in the region. This research is the first scientific report on the nutritional composition of the above mentioned species. Among five wild species, the Buglossoides arvensis had the highest carbohydrates content (71.99 ± 0.5%) and high lipid contents (4.8 ± 0.2%). Besides that, it has the highest total energy (349.024 kcal/100 g). Stellaria media was found to have the maximum ash (22.77 ± 0.1%) and lipids (4.87 ± 0.06%). Chaerophyllum reflexum showed the highest protein content (10.5 ±0.4%) and high total energy (332.68 ± 0.3 kcal/100 g). Mineral analysis showed that the local wild vegetables contained considerable amount of minerals; Calcium (2.20 ± 0.5-1506 ± 0.06 µg/g), Potassium (3.018 ± 1.7-1272.06 ± 0.005 µg/g), Phosphorous (2.98 ± 0.01-180.01 ± 0.1 µg/g), Chromium (0.98 ± 0.6-42.9 ± 0.5 µg/g), Cobalt (0.18 ±0.005-7.7 ± 0.2 µg/g), Sodium (0.78 ± 0.5-205.53 ± 0.4 µg/g) and Copper (5.5 ± 0.4-35.06 ± 0.7 µg/g). These data suggest that wild plants from district Kurram could be useful for nutrition or other applications. For instance, Caralluma tuberculata contains the highest number of mineral elements, which has been traditionally used as an anti-diabetic, blood purifier and for weight loss.