Phytochemical Screening, Proximate and Mineral Composition of Sweet Potato Leaves Grown in Tepi Provision, South- west of Ethiopia

Leaves of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) grown in Tepi area was studied for their class of phytochemicals, mineral and proximate composition using standard analytical methods. The phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoid, terpenoids, saponins, quinones, phenol, tannins, amino acid and proteins in the leaves. The proximate composition revealed the presence of ash (13.74±0.54 % dry weight, DW), crude lipid (3.8±0.52%, DW), crude fiber (12.62±0.39%, DW), crude protein (6.37± 0.13%, DW) and carbohydrate (69.62±0.69%). The minerals composition revealed potassium (3608.854mg/100g), sodium (32.079±0.12mg/100g), calcium (320.125±0.36 mg/100g), magnesium (118.75±0.02mg /100g), copper (1.828±0.11mg/100g), zinc (5.647±0.14mg/100g), iron (73.881±0.03mg/100g) and manganese (9.590±0.06mg/100g). These results revealed that the leaves of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) contained essential nutrients which compare favorably well with those of wild edible leaves in literatures.Keywords: Mineral composition Proximate composition Phytochemicals Sweet potato Ipomoea batata