The aim was to evaluate the amino acid compositions of three commonly consumed leafy vegetables (Solanum aethiopicum, Amaranthus hybridus, and Telfairia occidentalis) in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State. Leafy vegetables are important protective foods and beneficial for the maintenance of healthy living and prevention of diseases. The fresh leaves of A. hybridus, T. occidentalis, and S. aethiopicum were air-dried under room temperature for 1 week. The dried samples were further milled into a fine powder using a mechanical grinder and were stored in an air-tight plastic container. Amino acid content was determined using an applied Bio-system (phenylthiohydantoin, PTH) amino acid analyzer. Among amino acids determined in the vegetables, glutamic acid had the highest value with 12.59, 11.20, and 11.96 g/100 g protein, which was followed closely by leucine with 9.81, 7.94, 9.28 g/100 g protein, and aspartic acid with 8.99, 8.62, and 9.74 g/100 g protein in S. aethiopicum, A. hybridus, and T. occidentalis, respectively on dry weight bases. The leaf that contained the highest total amino acid (TAA) was S. aethiopicum with 88.69 g/100 g protein followed by T. occidentalis with 80.39 g/100 g protein while A. hybridus being the lowest, had 73.38 g/100 g protein. The limiting essential amino acid was tryptophan with 1.98 g/100 g protein while leucine with 9.0 g/100 g protein was the most abundant TAA. The percentage concentration of different groups of amino acid in vegetables revealed that total essential amino acid (TEAA) had 54.85%, total non-essential amino acid (TNEAA) had 48.27%, total neutral amino acid (TNAA) had 22.24%, total acidic amino acid (TAAA) had 32.48%, total basic amino acid (TBAA) had 11.53%, total aromatic amino acid (TArAA) had 11.89% while total sulfur amino acid (TSAA) had 3.94%. The results indicate that the vegetables studied are rich in essential amino acids and could serve as a good source of quality protein. Therefore, they could be recommended as food supplements, especially when animal proteins become more expensive as a source of protein.

目的是评估埃博尼州阿巴卡利基三种常见叶类蔬菜（ Solanum aethiopicum、Amaranthus  Hybridus和Telfairia occidentalis）的氨基酸组成。叶类蔬菜是重要的保护性食品，有利于维持健康生活和预防疾病。将A.hybridus、T.occidentalis和S.aethiopicum的鲜叶在室温下风干1周。使用机械研磨机将干燥的样品进一步研磨成细粉，并储存在气密塑料容器中。使用应用生物系统（苯硫基乙内酰脲，PTH）氨基酸分析仪测定氨基酸含量。蔬菜中测定的氨基酸中，谷氨酸含量最高，分别为12.59、11.20和11.96克/100克蛋白质，其次是亮氨酸，分别为9.81、7.94、9.28克/100克蛋白质，天冬氨酸为8.99克/100克蛋白质。以干重计， S. aethiopicum、A. Hybridus和T. occidentalis中的蛋白质含量分别为 8.62 和 9.74 g/100 g 。总氨基酸 (TAA) 含量最高的是S. aethiopicum，其蛋白质含量为 88.69 g/100 g，其次是T. occidentalis，其蛋白质含量为 80.39 g/100 g，而A.hybridus含量最低，为 73.38 g/100 g 蛋白质。限制性必需氨基酸是色氨酸，含量为 1.98 g/100 g 蛋白质，亮氨酸含量最丰富，为 9.0 g/100 g 蛋白质。蔬菜中不同组氨基酸的百分比浓度显示，总必需氨基酸（TEAA）占54.85%，总非必需氨基酸（TNEAA）占48.27%，总中性氨基酸（TNAA）占22.24%，总酸性氨基酸（TNAA）占22.24%。总氨基酸（TAAA）占32.48%，总碱性氨基酸（TBAA）占11.53%，总芳香氨基酸（TArAA）占11.89%，总硫氨基酸（TSAA）占3.94%。结果表明，所研究的蔬菜富含必需氨基酸，可以作为优质蛋白质的良好来源。因此，它们可以被推荐作为食品补充剂，特别是当动物蛋白作为蛋白质来源变得更加昂贵时。