ANALYSIS OF NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION, IN VITRO ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTIDIABETIC EFFECT OF THREE CHENOPODIUM SPECIES

Abstract

Considering the growing need to identify more plant-based nutritional sources, leaves of Chenopodium album (L.), Chenopodium giganteum (L.) and Chenopodium mueale (L.) from the Chenopodiaceae family were evaluated to find out the nutritional composition including major and trace minerals, in vitro antioxidants and antidiabetic effect in order to priorities their use as both food & medicine. These plants were found to have high protein (27.64 - 34.41 g/100gm) and low fat (2.85-3.51g/100gm). High ash content (17.49-26.70 g/100gm) revealed that they are good mineral source. The leaves of these plants are rich in essential minerals (Na, K, Ca, Mg, P) and sufficient trace elements (Fe, Zn, Cu). The presence of phytochemicals such as tannins, saponins and alkaloids was known through qualitative phytochemical screening of methanolic leaf extracts. The antioxidant activity of the extracts of Chenopodium species was determined with (DPPH) radical scavenging activity. Results showed that antioxidant activity of C. album, C. giganteum and C. murale was 76.99 %, 68.24 % and 79.45 % respectively with IC50 values of 14.25 μg/ml, 17.31 μg/ml and 13.86 μg/ml. Quantitative Analysis of phytochemical compounds showed that the phenolic content of C. album, C. giganteum and C. murale were 85.48, 88.19 and 94.10 mg GAE /100g respectively. The flavonoid content of C. murale 78.19 mg QE/100g was higher than C. album and C. giganteum which have flavonoid contents of 56.66 mg QE/100g and 73.57 mg QE/100g respectively. The in vitro antidiabetic effect of the extracts of Chenopodium species was evaluated by using α-amylase enzyme inhibition assay. Results showed that in vitro antidiabetic activity of C. album, C. giganteum and C. murale was 59.98 %, 67.32 % and 61.94% respectively with IC50 values of 80.93 μg/ml, 62.38 μg/ml and 76.84 μg/ml. So, important massages from this study are, these three leafy vegetables are important sources of essential nutrients and phytochemicals and provide potential antioxidant and antidiabetic effect.