Evaluation of free radical scavenging activity of Neiebuhria apetala DUNN leaf extracts

The present investigation is to assess the antioxidant properties of leaf extracts of Neiebuhria apetala using different in vitro methods. The antioxidant activity was studied by DPPH radical scavenging method, hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, superoxide radical scavenging activity, ABTS radical scavenging activity and reducing power methods. Ethanol extract of leaf showed very good antioxidant properties. The present study exposed that ethanol extract of N. apetala include effective potential source of natural antioxidant, which might be useful in preventing the progress of various oxidative stresses. &nbsp

Fatty acid composition of underutilized corms, rhizomes and tubers

With escalating populace pressure and fast exhaustion of natural resources, it has become extremely vital to diversify the present time agriculture with the cultivation of some wild varieties of tubers, rhizomes and corms in order to meet various human nutrient needs. However, information regarding fatty acid composition is inadequate. The purpose of the present study was to examine the fatty acid composition of six samples of wild corms (Alocasia macrorrhiza, Amorphophallus paeoniifolius var. campanulata, A. sylvaticus, Colocasia esculenta, Xanthosoma sagittifolium, X. violaceum two species of rhizomes (Canna indica and Maranta arundinacea) and three species of tubers (Asparagus racemosus, Nymphaea pubescens and N. rubra) in order to assess the nutritional and biochemical significance. The total lipid was extracted from the corms, rhizomes and tubers using chloroform and methanol mixture in the ratio of 2:1 (w/v). Methyl esters were prepared from the lipids. Fatty acid analysis was performed by gas chromatography. Among the investigated species, corm of X. sagittifolium registered the highest amount of palmitic acid. Similarly, tubers of A. racemosus exhibited the highest amount of linoleic acid. The present investigation demonstrated that the corms, rhizomes and tubers act as a good source of fatty acid.</jats:p

Amino acid composition of wild yam (Dioscorea spp.)

Tubers of wild yam (Dioscorea alata, D. bulbifera var. vera, D. esculenta, D. oppositifolia var. oppositifolia, D. oppositifolia var. dukhumensis, D. pentaphylla var. pentaphylla, D. spicata, D. tomentosa and D. wallichi) were analyzed for its amino acids composition. Asparatic acid and glutamic acid were found to be predominant among all the investigated Dioscorea species which ranged from 5.21 to 9.36 and 3.20 to 8.12 g/100 g protein respectively. The essential amino acids such as isoleucine, phenylalanine tyrosine, histidine, isoleucine and valine were found to be more or less higher than FAO/WHO (1991) requirement pattern. Thus, the present investigation demonstrated that the Dioscorea spp. can act as a good source of amino acid</jats:p