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Variations in the Phytochemical and Antioxidant Activity of some Nigerian and Imported Fruits: A comparative study
Author(s) -
Adeyemo Oyenike,
Adebesin Olumide,
Adekoya Fatima,
Adenekan Sunday,
Agbabiaje Yinka
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.29.1_supplement.887.25
Subject(s) - dpph , ascorbic acid , chemistry , antioxidant , phytochemical , food science , glycoside , phenols , pear , orange (colour) , botany , organic chemistry , biochemistry , biology
Fruits are rich sources of natural products. This study assessed seven Nigerian and six imported fruits for total contents of tannins, flavonoids, phenols, cardiac glycosides, alkaloids, reducing sugars and ascorbic acid. The antioxidant activities of aqueous fruits extracts based on the nitric oxide (NO), 1,1‐ diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), Hydroxyl radical (•OH), lipid peroxidation assays and total antioxidant capacity were determined. Spectrophotometric methods were used for all evaluations. Tannins found in 3 imported fruits have a mean range of 83.3‐ 113 mg/100g but found only in the Nigerian orange, 93.5 mg/100g. Cardiac glycoside was present in 11 fruits (14.2‐23.5 mg/100g) but absent in pear (imported) and cucumber (Nigerian). Nigerian grape is the only fruit with high content of flavonoids (81.7 mg/100g) and phenol (57.8 mg/100g) while flavonoid was absent in all the imported fruits. Comparison between fruits shows that the total antioxidant capacity and ascorbic acid content vary for each, highest for the imported pear (125.3 mg/100g) and grapefruit (59.3 mg/100g) respectively while the Nigerian orange has both high total antioxidant (148.6 mg/100g) and ascorbic acid (125 mg/100g). The Nigerian apple showed •OH and DPPH antioxidant activities equivalent to the standard ascorbic acid. Nigerian fruits such as cucumber and watermelon possess very low antioxidant activities against DPPH and Hydroxyl radical assays. Comparisons show different composition in some chemical compounds and levels of antioxidant activities of these fruits.