Comparative Analysis of Phenolic Content and Anti-oxidant Activity of Dietary Vegetables

Abstract

The anti-oxidant activity and total phenolic contents of alcoholic extracts from 14 vegetables were evaluated by using a model system consisting of β-carotene and linoleic acid and Folin-Ciocalteu method. The total phenolic of the extracts was determined spectrophotometrically according to the Folin-Ciocalteu procedure and ranged from 63 to 33 mg per 100 gm on a fresh weight basic. Chenopodium album , Beta vulgaris, Brassica juncea , pea pods, and Brassica oleracea have high anti-oxidant activity. The anti-oxidant activity expressed as per percent inhibition of oxidation ranged from a high of 70% in Chenopodium album extracts to a low of 25% in Raphanus sativus. Other vegetables found to have high anti-oxidant activity (>60%) were Beta vulgaris, Brassica juncea , pea pods, Brassica oleracea. Anti-oxidant activity correlated linearly significantly and positively with total phenolics. The results indicate that vegetables containing high phenolics may provide a source of dietary anti-oxidants.