COMPARATIVE NUTRITIONAL AND PHYTOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF THE CALYXES OF BOMBAX BUONOPOZENSE P. BEAUV. AND BOMBAX COSTATUM PELLEGR. & VUILLET CONSUMED IN IVORY COAST

The species Bombax buonopozense and Bombax costatum are plants used in culinary and traditional practices in Ivory Coast. Although their flower calyxes are used in the preparation of sauces, data on their composition of primary and secondary metabolites remain limited. The objective of this study was to characterize and compare certain biochemical constituents of the calyxes of these two species in order to contribute to their utilization. The calyxes were dried, ground, and then subjected to various analyses. Proteins were quantified using the Kjeldahl method, lipids by Soxhlet extraction, and phenolic compounds by spectrophotometric methods. Polyphenols were determined using the Folin-Ciocalteu method, flavonoids by aluminum chloride complexation, and tannins using the vanillin method. The results show a predominance of carbohydrates, with contents of 80.59% in B. buonopozense and 79.67% in B. costatum. Protein contents are 7.72% and 11.08%, respectively, while lipids account for 3.01% and 2.51%. Ash contents are 8.68% in B. buonopozense and 6.76% in B. costatum. Both species also contain significant amounts of phenolic compounds. B. buonopozense stands out for having the highest levels of polyphenols, flavonoids, and tannins, 655.09, 62.21, and 93.25 mg/g of dry matter, respectively, compared to 414.19, 23.29, and 40.73 mg/g in B. costatum. These results highlight the nutritional and phytochemical potential of the calyxes of both species and support their value for further food and biological applications.