EVALUATION OF ANTIOXIDANT POTENTIAL OF INFLORESCENCE AND STALK OF PLANTAIN (MUSA SAPIENTUM)

Abstract

ABSTRACT In the present study, the free radical scavenging capacity and antioxidant activities of methanolic extracts of inflorescence and stem core of plantain (Musa sapientum) were evaluated in terms of total phenolic content, 1,1 diphenyl-2 picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity (RSA), superoxide RSA, metal chelation and total reducing power, and the results were compared with the standard antioxidants like gallic acid, trolox and butylated hydroxy anisole. The results from the present study showed that the methanolic extracts of plantain inflorescence and stem were able to effectively scavenge the free radicals. The plantain flower and stem samples showed promising metal chelating (IC50– 204.9 and 417.4 µg/mL, respectively), DPPH radical scavenging (IC50– 186.5 and 1,745.3 µg/mL, respectively) and reducing power with maximum superoxide scavenging activity (IC50– 195.03 and 384.05 µg/mL, respectively). The results showed that plantain inflorescence possessed greater antioxidant potential as compared with the stem. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS The stem and flower (inflorescence) of Musa sapientum commonly known as banana or plantain is widely used as a vegetable in many parts of South Asia. The juice of the stem is traditionally used for reducing obesity, treatment of kidney stones and diabetes. The flower is widely used in Indian folk medicine for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Even though it is being used in traditional practices since ancient time, the scientific validation for the mechanisms of its health benefits has not been reported. As oxidative stress has been implicated as one of the inducing factors for the development of various metabolic disorders, the present study proposes to evaluate the antioxidant potential of inflorescence and stalk of plantains, which may prove to be beneficial against these disorders.