Abstract
Since ancient times, wild plants have widely been traditionally consumed by different communities but today are gaining relevance due to their healthy properties. Vegetables, including wild edible species, constitute an important source of active natural products: micronutrients, especially vitamins and minerals and phytochemical compounds with antioxidant properties important in the prevention of various pathologies including degenerative, cardiovascular and neurological diseases. Some species of wild and cultivated edible plants were comparatively evaluated considering the content in bioactive compounds and the antioxidant capacity. Biochemical analysis of the fresh leaves indicated similar or even higher values of nutritive compounds (sugars, protids) and antioxidants (polyphenols, carotenoids, flavones, chlorophylls, ascorbic acid) in the species from spontaneous flora as dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), lesser celandine (Ficaria verna), wild garlic (Allium ursinum) than in the green lettuce and garden rocket commonly consumed around the world. Therefore, these wild plants could be recommended for consumers not only as new ingredients to improve their diet diversity but also for providing potential health benefits.
Highlights
Since ancient times, wild plants have widely been traditionally consumed by different communities but today are gaining relevance due to their healthy properties
In the present research work some species of wild edible plants were evaluated for their potential in human nutrition considering the content in bioactive compounds and the antioxidant capacity: dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), lesser celandine
The results obtained in the present study regarding the nutritive compounds (Table 1) in the analysed species showed that wild species registered similar or even higher values of the biochemical parameters compare to cultivated species
Summary
Three species of wild edible plants consumed in the traditional Romanian diet were evaluated: dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), lesser celandine Determination of total soluble sugars was performed according to the Somogyi-Nelson method [20,21]. Total antioxidant capacity (radical scavenging activity) was determined using the stable free radical diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method according to Blois (1958) procedure adaptated by Brand-Williams et al (1995) for complex matrices [27,28]. The EC50 parameter for each sample, defined as the concentration of sample which is required to scavenge 50% of DPPH free radicals, was calculated from the linear regression curve of the sample extracts (mg/ml) against the percentage of the radical scavenging activity. All measurements were carried out in triplicate, and the results are presented as means ± S.D. The relationship between the EC50 values and some antioxidant compounds (vitamin C, phenolics, flavonoids, chlorophylls, carotenoids) contents was performed via Pearson’s correlation coefficient (R) and determining coefficient (R2). A significant difference was considered at the level of P < 0.05
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