Compositional analysis and physicochemical evaluation of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) mucilage for medicinal purposes

OBJECTIVES: Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) mucilage obtained from its dried fruits was evaluated to check the proximate composition and physicochemical properties. METHODS: Commercially available date palm mucilage was precipitated using ethanol. Both (crude and purified) mucilage samples were subjected for proximate, physiochemical, biochemical and antioxidant activity using standard experimental protocols. Elemental analysis of crude date palm mucilage was also performed using LIBS. RESULTS: Ethanol was used to purify the mucilage (58.4% yield). Proximate analysis was carried out on crude and purified mucilages showing crude fat, crude protein, crude fiber, total carbohydrates, nitrogen free extract and total energy in purified mucilage were more than the crude mucilage. Moisture and ash contents were found more in crude mucilage than the purified mucilage. Laser introduced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) detected Zn, Mg, Mn, K, Na, Cu, Fe and Ca metals as components of mucilage. Biochemical profiling indicated that crude and purified mucilage have proteins, protease, superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase, amylase, ascorbate peroxidase, free amino acids, total soluble sugars, reducing sugars, non-reducing sugars, total anthocyanin, free anthocyanin, total flavonoid contents and total phenolic contents. CONCLUSION: The study shows that date palm mucilage could be potentially used as pharmaceutical and medicinal ingredient due to presence of bioactive compounds and its physicochemical properties.