Antioxidant and Prebiotic Activity of Selected Edible Wild Plant Extracts

Poloko Stephen Kheoane,Richard Nyanzi,Tendekayi Henry Gadaga,Clemence Tarirai,Carmen Leonard

doi:10.5539/jfr.v6n1p7

Poloko Stephen Kheoane, Richard Nyanzi + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.5539/jfr.v6n1p7

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Abstract

Edible wild plants were investigated as potential sources of antioxidants and prebiotics to benefit human health. Antioxidant activity, ascorbic acid and total dietary fibre contents were determined in edible wild plants from Lesotho, Swaziland and South Africa. Pure probiotic strains of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. animalis (ATCC 25527), Lactobacillus rhamnosus (TUTBFD) and Lactobacillus acidophilus (ATCC 314) were cultured in broth containing edible wild plant extracts to assess their prebiotic activity. Cyperus esculantus had the highest arscobic acid content of 603±64.1 mg/100 g edible dry plant material followed by Rosa rubiginosa (500.8±48.8 mg/100 g). The two plants had IC50 of 10.7±0.2 µg/mL and 47.8±0.2 µg/mL for DPPH inhibition, respectively. Forty percent (40%) (n=30) of the edible wild plants had significant (p<0.01) total antioxidant activity (IC50<60 µg/mL) and high ascorbic acid content (>200 mg/100 g). Nasturtium officinale reported the highest yield for soluble fibre (25%) while Hypoxis hirsute had the highest total dietary fibre content (7.3%). Rorippa nudiuscula enhanced the growth of B. animalis significantly (p=0.001), 8-fold more than inulin. Chenopodium album and Urtica dioica stimulated the growth of L. rhamnosus significantly (p=0.0001) than inulin, respectfully, while Tragopogon porrifolius significantly (p=0.0001) stimulated the growth of L. acidophilus than inulin. It was concluded that the investigated edible wild plants from southern Africa have antioxidant and prebiotic properties that may be beneficial to human health.

Highlights

Edible wild plants provide energy, vitamins and minerals in the diet (Boedecker, Termite, Assogbadjo, Van Damme & Lachat, 2014)
This paper reports on the ascorbic acid content, total antioxidant capacity and prebiotic activity of edible wild plants from Lesotho, Swaziland and the Limpopo province of South Africa to motivate for their benefits to human health, rational use and conservation
These phytochemicals partly contributed to the total antioxidant activity reported as indicated by the significantly (p

Summary

Introduction

Edible wild plants provide energy, vitamins and minerals in the diet (Boedecker, Termite, Assogbadjo, Van Damme & Lachat, 2014). Reactive oxygen species, including superoxide anions, hydroxyl radicals, and hydrogen peroxide are generated in specific organelles of the cell under normal physiological conditions (Haraguchi, 2001) Excessive production of these reactive oxygen species and free radical mediated reactions are associated with degenerative diseases such as aging, cancer, coronary heart disease, and Alzheimer’s disease (Sun, Wang, Fang, Gao & Tan, 2004). Consumption of sufficient amounts of fruits, vegetables and tubers leads to reduced incidences of heart disease, cancers and other degenerative diseases (Kaur & Kapoor, 2001). These foods provide an optimal mix of beneficial phytochemicals such as natural antioxidants, fibres and other biotic compounds (Kaur & Kapoor, 2001). Acacia senegal (Gum Arabic) functionally increases the absorption of coenzyme Q10 (Ozaki et al, 2010)

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