Phytochemical Screening and Proximate Composition of Moringa oleifera Leaves from Three Locations in Katsina State

Moringa oleifera is widely cultivated across North West Nigeria for its nutritional and medicinal properties, but phytochemical and proximate profiles of leaves from different growing locations within Katsina State have not been systematically compared. This study conducted phytochemical screening and proximate composition analysis of Moringa oleifera leaves collected from three distinct locations in Katsina State: Katsina metropolis, Daura Local Government Area, and Mashi Local Government Area. Fresh leaves were collected, oven-dried at 60 degrees Celsius, powdered, and subjected to standard qualitative phytochemical screening for alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, phenols, and cardiac glycosides. Proximate composition (moisture, crude protein, crude fat, crude fibre, ash, and nitrogen-free extract) was determined using the AOAC methods. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, and tannins in all three location samples, while cardiac glycosides were absent in samples from Mashi. Crude protein content ranged from 22.4% to 27.8% (dry weight basis), with the highest value recorded in Daura samples. Crude fat varied from 4.2% to 6.3%, and ash content ranged from 9.1% to 11.7%. Significant differences in crude protein and mineral ash content were observed across locations (p < 0.05), suggesting that soil and climatic conditions influence leaf nutritional composition. The study concludes that location-specific variation in Moringa leaf quality is significant and recommends site-specific cultivation guidelines for maximising nutritional yield in Katsina State. Keywords: Moringa oleifera, phytochemical screening, proximate composition, Katsina State, nutritional quality